


So Much More

by selim_nagisokrov



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anthropomorphic, Human Sacrifice, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-29 12:16:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 46,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/686853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/selim_nagisokrov/pseuds/selim_nagisokrov
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As future king, Toothless was entitled to the wealth, power, and women that came with the job. A chance meeting with a creature from another world teaches him that there's so much more outside his world and only he can protect it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

His Kingdom was the most beautiful thing in the world, and Prince Toothless had seen a lot in the world to compare it to. The weather was moderate, excellent for his bones, there were few skirmishes over things not involving fish and best of all  _it was his_. Standing in the balcony of his room, the dragon-man took a deep breath of the summer air while spreading his wings far behind him. The bones at the base of his wing cracked, causing a moan of delight to escape his long mouth.  
  
Deep in the room, the heavy wooden doors opened by the Nadder guards, allowing his mother access into the room. The woman nodded to the guards, flattened her skirts, letting the length of the dress drag behind her. He swore to whoever would listen he received his good looks from her with the powerful masculine touch of his father. The Queen’s firm expression relaxed seeing her son. It hardened again when her attention was grabbed by the mass in his bed, the pretty Nadder he met in the kitchens just yesterday.  
  
The young female sat up, letting the blankets pillow around her. “Out.” The Queen growled at the woman. The girl climbed out of Toothless’ bed, grabbing her dress from the ground. “Out!” The girl jumped, rushing out of the room with only the fabric pulled against her voluptuous chest.  
  
Toothless didn’t even try to hide his arousal as he watched her long blue tail drag behind her. Damn, what he’d do to be on that again.  
  
“Son!”  
  
Jumping, Toothless turned to his mother. “You need something?” He asked.  
  
His mother moved over to his sofa, lying across it. She fixed her skirts around her long legs, relaxing against the armrest. “Why do you insist on acting like a child?” She hummed low, closing her eyes.  
  
“We were anything but hatchlings last night, Mother.” Toothless went over to his wall and chamber pot, pulling on his non-formal robe. The female night fury gasped in disgust. Toothless glanced away. “Sorry, Mother.”  
  
“Do you intend to have a formal mating with that servant?”  
  
It was a double-bladed question. He didn’t intend to marry the Nadder, or the twins Zippleback Sisters, or even the handsome Nightmare he spent his last birthday with was hardly mate material. Just another conquest, proof that he really was entitled in every sense. “Is father concerned of my status?”  
  
“How are you to take his throne if you aren’t an actual man? An uncommitted king has legions of past enemies.”  
  
Toothless growled low. “What are you trying to tell me?”  
  
“The extremity of your…nature…has come to your father and my attention. Cease it now or your more committed brother will take the thrown, as deemed by your father.” She lowered her legs to the floor, fixing her skirts, then her shawl. “The leaders of neighboring lands are sending in their sons and daughters for a courting ceremony. Be on your best behavior and look for a potential bride or the thrown goes to Massclaws.” She left the room with a flow of her skirts.  
  
When the heavy doors shut behind her, Toothless stuck his tongue out at her. As if Massclaws even deserved the throne he was entitled to. He wasn’t nearly as attractive as Toothless and had settled with his childhood friend, a plain-looking Nadder with non-existent breasts and a tail that wasn’t symmetrical. As expected from such a plain-looking Night Fury who didn’t have nearly the stature or muscle tone of his older brother.  
  
Dressing for the day, Toothless stormed out of the room towards his father’s throne room. The man was settled in his chair above the audience chamber looking menacing. His sharp eyes hardened on his son, waving away the Terror that was taking notes with a wave of his claws. “I was expecting to see you earlier.”  
  
“Mother had to talk my ear off.” Toothless crossed his arms. “I’m not giving up my birth right. Not to Massclaws.”  
  
His father frowned. “We’ve all been boys but if you can’t be discrete, we have to do things like this. There was a Nadder in West Front who claims to have birthed an egg belonging to our beloved Prince Toothless. We were able to remove the problem, but not the source. You have a month, son. Either you are mated into a committed relationship or Massclaws will be named my heir. I don’t care what you do on the side but you need a bride to show you committed nature not only to one person but to the throne. I can’t have possible heirs floating around. It’ll put the throne at risk of someone of less notable blood claiming it. Am I clear?”  
  
Toothless scowled. “Yes.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“ _Yes, sir._ ” The Night Fury growled, turning away.  
  
“And son?”  
  
Closing his eyes, Toothless exhaled sharply. “Sir?”  
  
“I want you to patrol the mountains of the east this week. I’ve heard of your tryst with the kitchen servants. Perhaps, for your mother’s heart, it would be best you go somewhere there are fewer eyes for a little bit. Don’t disappoint me, Toothless.” The aging King nodded his head.  
  
“Yes, sir.” Toothless left the room, trying to fight the urge to stomp back to his own chambers. He saw the lovely Nadder of the Evening as he turned down the main corridor. She smiled shyly at him, making a hesitant motion down her skirts from the night before. “Sorry, being sent out to the field.” The Night Fury brushed his hand over the broach holding her dress together. “Maybe when I get back?” He tossed his head back.  
  
The purple blush over the female dragon’s cheeks was worth it before she scampered down the hall, hiding a giggle behind her hand while trying to give him glances over her shoulder.  
  
It would be a long week without the subtle touch of a female’s body but he wasn’t completely dismissive of the guards and the ones on duty weren’t known to talk about their own conquests. Maybe this wasn’t going to be that bad of a week?  
  
He took off around noon, letting his wings span out into the sky to show all the other dragons their future kings form. A couple of Terrors he flew past purred in delight just seeing him, losing control of their flight. Gronckles quacked on the ground, looking up at him and whispering in low voices with excitement. Twin parts of a Zippleback fought together, their sole wing slapping the other for a chance to gaze up at him. And the Nightmares burst into flames from the come-hither smile he passed towards them.  
  
He was feeling good about himself as he landed in the east lands of his kingdom. It wasn’t an overly populated site, hidden in the mountains along the waterfalls. It wasn’t an overly demanded site because it was used as a strict scouting zone. Only a handful was selected for the easy post but it had never occurred to him as necessary. There was another post in the east, not attached to the mainland. The select few in this location never seen battle and probably never would.  
  
During his training days, Toothless had been sent to the busier port town in his father’s lands on guard duty. He’d put away a few fist fights and drunken antics but most of his time had been spent bedding the locals and drinking himself silly. That had been a good two years.  
  
A station like this was so boring. Only the lazy would ever want a station like this. No people, no booze, no time off.  
  
“Prince Toothless!” A Nightmare rushed over when he landed, dressed in the royal uniform that had been less than tended to over the years. The Night Fury prince glanced over the creatures uniform, purposely plucking the lack of rank embedded on the tunic. “Sorry, sir. We just received word to expect your arrival. I’m the commander of this little outfit, please—let me show you your quarters.”  
  
As expected, he was given a cleaned out storage hut under a wide tree far away from the toileting section of the mountains. Other guards had their supplies boxed up a distance away, perhaps to sleep under the stars like real guards under the watchful gaze of the real commander. Make it look like a real guard post and not a holiday spot, Toothless grumbled. “Call the Guards. I wish to appraise them.”  
  
The Nightmare bowed. “Of course, sir.”  
  
He was shown a group of twenty full-time guards, all in their upper years: three Nightmares, two Zipplebacks (making four total, Toothless groaned), two Nadders, two Gronckles and seven Terrors. Sizing them up, Toothless snorted. None past their prime age of forty. A mockery of his nights, like a plot made by his mother and father. Even he had standards in what would share his bed.  
  
There was no way he could make it a week of celibacy but if any of these dragons hatched an egg, there would be obvious outcry from the kingdom. A King not able to control his natural urges could not be expected to protect anyone.  
  
“Is this what you call guard?” He tossed his head back. “I expect those uniforms to be re-sewn and cleaned up before I leave. If conditions don’t improve I’m replacing each one of you with soldiers that will respect the uniform.”  
  
He hadn’t expected the horror that crossed all of their faces.  _Intriguing._  He nodded to each individual before taking his leave, approaching the mountains to take in his terrain.  
  
These mountains were subject to rumor, of course. Once upon a time, a monster had come from these very walls, lost and confused and reeking of everything not dragon. The first guard group had been stationed to keep that from happening again but there had never been another story like that since the first, at least not one that came into the royal audience. Now, this was a waste of resource when these guards would have been better suited.  
  
The commander met up with him shortly. “I hope this is a quiet tour of duty for you, sir.”  
  
“So what is it your men do over the day?”  
  
“Er, scout the area for one.”  
  
“And for two?” Toothless turned his hard gaze on the commander.  
  
The man bit his lip, confirming the prince’s assumption. Absolutely nothing. “There’s an occasional mountaineer but they’re small – terrors.” Toothless groaned. It wouldn’t survive a beast like him. They were fun to play around with but the little ladies had to be taken care of. If anything, Toothless was a careful lover which was more than could be said about some men.  
  
That week went by incredibly slow. He monitored the troops during the day, forcing them into strict training to ensure they lost the extra weight put on over their extended vacation. At nights, when he retired to his quarters, he’d listen to the night, over-hearing conversations amongst the men. A couple of the dragons were clearly in a relationship with one another but there were a few things that didn’t add to the usual squabbling of guards.  
  
At night, when they weren’t under his watchful eyes, they intensified their scouting of the caves. There was talk the one of the caves would grant them the goods, they had to find it before someone else did.  
  
By the end of the week, Toothless cloaked himself into the night, escaping through an open window of his hut into the night. He followed the Gronckles into caves, chased after terrors, and finally firmly latched himself onto the ceiling of one of the caverns, over the Commander’s head, waiting.  
  
“Still nothing?” One of the twin Zipplebacks asked, coming into the cave.  
  
“This is the tenth year. They  _always_  deliver one on the tenth year.” The Commander growled. “I’m being discharged in a month. I refuse to leave without one of my own.”  
  
“Maybe they aren’t sending anymore?”  
  
The Commander slammed the twin into the wall, growling. “I will not be insulted by those monsters. I want something to prove my service in this god-awful place.”  
  
“We’ll keep an eye out, sir. Please…” The Zippleback whispered. “You will have one before the end of the month, they always deliver. If we don’t collect it tonight it’ll be easier to find in the morning. The Prince will be gone then and we can do a more extensive check.”  
  
“I don’t want those Royals knowing about this. They get enough trophies.”  
  
“Yes, sir.”  
  
“…Let’s get back. It’s too damn dark in here.”  
  
“I’m sorry sir, let me help you.” Their voices faded.  
  
Opening his eyes, Toothless’ eyes gleamed in the night, never happier he was born of this time. It gave him an advantage to look around, to try and find what they were looking for. Most of the dragons when they had entered the caves never traveled too far due to the darkness. This cavern had been most attended to, with check marks shifting down the spine, possibly checked over many decades.  
  
Making his way through the old walls, Toothless clung to the ceiling, careful not to become lost at any forks. He sniffed out for any odd minerals in the area, looking for whatever was illegal.  
  
The slave trade in the kingdom was dwindling with recent laws. Some hatchlings were robbed from their mothers and hatched to serve other dragons. To think that the royal guard had been supporting the barbaric custom made anger grow in his belly as he finally caught whiff of something organic, not fitting in with the life of the cave. Clinging low to the wall, Toothless slithered in deeper, forcing his eyes to focus into the dark.  
  
Finally, he saw something in the distance.  
  
Dropping the ground, Toothless approached the lump in the middle of the cave, sniffing around. There had been a lot of the organic scent in this area but not enough to cover the one individual sitting in the cave, tied up with rope.  
  
Toothless focused on the creature – no, the monster!  
  
He jumped back, looking over the non-dragon. It had soft, pink skin and fur on its head. It was small, lean, and dressed in rags. A slave? Toothless tilted his head back. He approached the monster and growled in its face, baring his fangs.  
  
The thing gasped and pulled back as the air filled with a salty smell. “ _Please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me, please don’t…_ ” The monster fell back. With its arms tied back, it didn’t climb off the ground. Leaning over it Toothless sniffed, looking for anything threatening from this creature but found nothing, jus water, dirt, fear, and musk. He didn’t smell any kind of dragon on the boy, just more creature.  
  
“Relax!” Toothless shouted back. “Who brought you here?”  
  
The monster screamed, clamping his eyes closed. Toothless swallowed, trying to calm his own rage down. That wasn’t a scream of rage but one of terror. This creature didn’t want to be here anymore than Toothless had wanted to be in this duty station but there wasn’t anything political about this. It might be a slave attempt but the commander had seemed adamant about claiming something for himself.  
  
Could this be it? The thing only delivered every ten years?  
  
“Are you a gift from the gods?” He tried again.  
  
The thing sniffled, still crying on the ground.  
  
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Toothless ran his hand through the creature’s soft fur. He paused with his fingers buried in the strands, considering the size difference. His hand was as big as the boy’s head. How could something this small be a monster? A strong gust of cold air blew past him, making his wings retract. Glancing in the direction he had yet to travel, he heard the echo of voices getting farther and farther away. “I’m going to untie you. Go back wherever you came from.”  
  
He pulled the rope, snapping it away from the monster. The creature cracked open his eye, breathing heavily from his spot on the ground. Stepping back, Toothless loosened his shoulders, putting on as defenseless display as possible. “Go on.” He waved his hands. The creature looked over his shoulder, in the direction of the vanishing voices before looking back at Toothless.  
  
Turning around, Toothless started back the way he came. He stopped midway to the entrance when he realized the creature was following him. “I said go away.”  
  
The boy jumped, hiding behind a wall.  
  
Rolling his eye, Toothless started back down the long corridor, always a pace ahead of the creature. Stepping out of the cave, he stretched his wings out, enjoying the space given to him. It was quiet along the cavern laws. The last of the scouts had probably called it a night, Toothless realized as he looked around. The moon was starting to set. He voiced his yawn, nearly jumping out of his skin as it was echoed with a squeak.  
  
“I thought I told you to leave!” He hissed.  
  
The creature approached him, taking his hand. Its green eyes turned to him, rimmed with water. “ _Please, what do you need me to do?_  
  
“What are you saying?” Toothless shook his head. He was fluent in three of the languages of the kingdom but none of the words coming from this creature sounded familiar to his sharp ear. There was one thing he was sure of: whatever was going on the boy wasn’t going to leave him. Rubbing his hand over his front horn, Toothless groaned. “I don’t need a pet.”  
  
The creature stepped closer.  
  
“Fine! Just… don’t say anything.” Whatever this thing was, the guards were after it. If this was a slave, he would never be able to sleep if he allowed the transfer of another slave in his region. Grabbing the creature’s small claw (and noting what flat nails), Toothless dragged the monster behind him.  
  
At camp, Toothless kept his distance from the sleeping guards on the ground, leading the creature into his hut. Shutting the door behind him, Toothless settled on his cot. The monster stood at his door, looking around the wooden shelter, his long paws locked together. His anxious looks were directed out the door, where the groups of dragons were lying around. “I wouldn’t try going out there without me.” Toothless closed his eyes, attempting to lure himself to sleep.  
  
The monster he brought back moved around the shelter, propping himself against some wooden, empty coops in the corner. Satisfied that the creature wasn’t going to hurt him in his sleep, Toothless settled into a light snooze.  
  
When he woke in the morning, the creature was still there, sleeping in the furthest side of the room. Sitting up, Toothless rubbed his stiff neck. Finally, his tour was over and he could go home!  
  
But what to do with the thing he’d found?


	2. Chapter 2

He ended up sending the command unit on the search through a cave he claimed to have been hearing noises during his shift in the morning. With the guard out, he took his leave promising to make another tour again just to make sure they followed his advice. When the men were out of sight, he entered the hut, shaking the creature out of his sound sleep.  
  
“We’re going to fly back to my home, stay until I figure out what to do about you.” He left the room, spreading his wings. Springing forth, he carried himself above the trees until he realized that the creature hadn’t followed him out. Rolling his eyes, he dropped back to the ground, entering the hut.  
  
The thing was squeezing its legs, breathing heavily.  
  
“Come on, before the guard gets back.” Toothless tugged the creature’s elbow. It didn’t move. “Ah-guh!” Toothless threw his head back, squeezing his eyes shut. “Don’t you understand me?” He asked.  
  
There was no response to his question.  
  
So obviously, no. It made no sense to him why anyone would want a servant that didn’t speak their language. “How useless,” he said, grabbing the boy under the arms. Raising the creature into his arms, he considered the height difference. Just a little smaller than a Nadder, the thing’s feet dangled against his knees. The creature was tense, fighting and pushing to get away. “Stand still! Stop!” Toothless struggled to keep hold of the creature, spanning his wings out.  
  
His attempt to fly home was difficult, the higher he flew the more sure he was that he’d drop his package but the creature stopped struggling after they left the mountain ranges, becoming almost lax in his arms. A quick glance down reassured him that the creature was still alive.  _I wonder what he’s thinking about?_  Toothless cocks his head, noticing that the creature is staring with rapt attention at the ground.  _Hasn’t he ever flown before?_  
  
The creature wasn’t heavy but Toothless was never happier to see the palace in the distance. Slipping past the guards on duty was easy, giving him access to his chambers where he dropped the monster on his bed before going to his closest, shuffling through his things for more comfortable wear than his uniform. A quick glance at the monster he brought with him makes the thoughts stop, however as he realizes the thing is wearing no more than a burlap sack held together with another rope.  
  
“I must have something that’ll fit you…” Toothless whispered to himself, going through his armory. He settled on a tunic he’d outgrown, tying a sash tightly around the creatures waist to keep it together. Missing leggings but more appropriate than the material he was daring to call clothes before. “Still dirty but you are now more acceptable.” Besides the two ears and fur, one could almost make it that the person belonged there. “An ugly dragon though.” He cupped the creature by its extended ears, tugging on the flabby skin. The creature winced instinctively but stayed in his spot, taking the rough touch. “Aren’t you going to fight me on that? Insult my mother?” He jumped back, curling his fist.  
  
The thing didn’t even move. If anything, his seemed to grow smaller.  
  
A knock from the door stopped him from punching air, taking away his fun. “My Prince?” The tiny Terror peeked in. Rockcounter, the Terror, was his father’s most trustful advisor. One day, Toothless knew, the Terror would become his trusty advisor. “Your King father has heard of your return and wishes to speak with you.”  
  
“If this is about my mate-ship, I’d rather not.” Toothless growled, lowering his shoulders. The creature he brought home flattened against a wall, trying to appear invisible. That was strange considering Terror’s were known for their bad eyesight. Rockcounter probably couldn’t see this far into the room and the scent of the creature was quickly being covered up by the thick scent that was the prince.  
  
“No, your Lady Mother wishes to speak to you about that after your audience with the King about your recent tour of duty.”  
  
Exhaling, Toothless dusted his jacket off. “I’ll be right out.” When the doors shut, sealing him back in this the monster, Toothless steps away, putting wide berth between the two. “I’ll bring you up something to eat.” The creature looked away, burrowing into his body to hide.  
  
His father’s chambers are grand as ever, with more of a nervous chatter around them of his father’s council and his lady mother. Both individuals give him a hard look at Toothless is mindful of his clothes. He washed them in a stream a day ago, so he’d need to send them with a steward to be properly cleaned and pressed. He smirks at his father. “I was on my best behavior.” He supplies before the old man can open his mouth.  
  
The king clamps his jaws shut, eyes hardened. “And is there anything ill to report of your tour?”  
  
There’s so much to say: the monster currently hiding in his room, the lack of respect to the uniform, the need for newer, fresher guard. He’s even tempted to tell his father that the storing of men in those parts are a waste of his inheritance but his mouth doesn’t seem to work with his mind. “No, sir.”  
  
His parents share concerned looks while the council murmurs to each other. “We were hoping they would have suggesting something illegal.”  
  
Toothless frowned. “Like slave trade operations?” He pressed. “Are you concerned that our guards have been less favorable to our rule?”  
  
The look of sickness crosses his mother’s face. His father pets her hand, breathing heavily as he does so. “There is more notorious goings in our men than just the slave traders. Those slave traders will always be there, it’s a profiteers market in neighboring lands. The only thing within our power is to watch the export and import of these third persons and return the eggs families whenever possible.” He breathed. “But no, that is not our problem. It’s come to our attention that there have been godly visits there for centuries, ones that have been unreported . The gifts are taken into the custody of soldiers soon to be retired when in reality those are gifts that should belong appropriately to the royal houses.”  
  
The little monster in his room popped up, scared of the dark, scared of his own shadow really. “I thought there were just monsters out that way. Like in the story, about the year a monster was found in the caves and the guards were sent that way to protect our land.”  
  
“Do you really think that it is feasible for one unknown to be found in those caves but never another? For centuries?” His mother sat up.  
  
“How do we know they’re gifts from the gods?” Toothless crossed his arms. “This could be another attempt of yours to find a loop through your own slavery laws. Bring these undiscovered monsters to our villages.”  
  
His father’s eyes widened but his mother spoke first, “Hush your rotten mouth! Your father is a good man. It is those men that capture the gifts that turn them into slaves. We’ve already unmasked four surviving gifts, malnourished. The oldest was able to explain the situation to us. Where they’re from, it’s their lordships favor to keep us happy so they’re placed in a cave every ten years, to be given to us. They had thought their gifts had been received but that has not been true.”  
  
“Every ten years, another is dropped off for us, to keep our people safe but they haven’t been delivered to the rightful recipients. Do you know what danger such a thing could cause to our kingdom if we scorn gods?”  
  
“Not much,” Toothless shrugged his shoulders, “Considering we haven’t received one since the first and things have been good so far.” At least he didn’t have any complaints.  
  
“We had half of the western section burn down last year! There was a famine out in the North Kingdom! King Ironlegs in the Southern Kingdom had a drought three years ago. The Mountain Kingdoms have had a low birthing rate for the last ten years! Where are you during your studies?”  
  
Toothless swallowed.  
  
“How about asking where he and his instructor are during his studies?”  
  
Turning, Toothless glared at his younger, shorter, stouter brother. The other Night Fury didn’t even favor him with the attention, a smug eye on his parents. A few paces away, his wife stood in her normalcy, still awed by the palace audience chambers while their two daughters bounced nervously on their heels. “No one asked you, Massclaws.”  
  
“I want an answer, son.” The King growled.  
  
“We,” Toothless thought fast, “Haven’t discussed that much.”  
  
“Hard to discuss anything when he’s balls deep in—”  
  
“Massclaws!” His mate hissed from her spot, trying to cover both her daughters' earfolds.  
  
“At least I’m getting some, you celibate waste of—”  
  
“Enough!” The King stood. Toothless and his brother stood straight, returning their attention to the oldest Night Fury in the room. “This is not becoming behavior for any prince! To use such language in front of your mother, mates, and hatchlings, I should have you strung up by your wings before the guard! And Toothless! Those are private lessons to better prepare you to take my throne not an attempt to add another notch to your bedpost!”  
  
Toothless put on his best chastised look.  
  
His father didn’t buy it. “I’m putting you in charge of the investigation. I want the rest of the gifts whereabouts found. There should have been another gift the week you were there, I want that gift found before another tragedy occurs in our lands. I want this foolery to cease this instant.” He touched his clawed hand with his female mate’s meeting her gaze. “I intend to be on my throne for a long time. Your antics will cease long before I give my throne to a  _hatchling_  like you.”  
  
“Father!” Toothless stepped up.  
  
“I want no more of this, Toothless! If one more transgression comes to my attention that you are not fulfilling your duties as my heir, I will cut you off. I will not be made a mockery! Am I clear?”  
  
“Yes, sir.”Toothless bit out, glaring from the corner of his eye at his brother. Massclaws’ smile seemed sincere but Toothless could see the wheels turning in that thick head of his brother’s. “Permission to be excused to begin my search?”  
  
“I wish to speak with you alone, dear.” His mother stood, flattening her skirts around her center. Turning, she pressed a kiss to her mate’s forehead before stepping next to her son. “Let us go back to your rooms, we can address the matters of your formal courting there.”  
  
He was leaning his mother back to his room when he stopped suddenly, remembering the monster currently residing within the walls. He’d been so caught up with his problems, he’d forgotten that he had found this supposed ‘gift’ before it could be taken from him. Surely he could restore good faith in himself and his birthright by offering the thing to his father? He had protected it from the actual thieves.  
  
But he didn’t think that thing was any gift of the gods. He was sure he’d heard other voices, smelled similar creatures. What kind of god would tie up one of their own and leave it in a damp cave? At the same time, why hadn’t they checked in on their so called  _gifts_  before?  
  
There was definitely a mystery in all this.  
  
“Let’s speak in the gardens instead, Mother.” Toothless wrapped his hand around his mother’s elbow. “It’s a nice day.”  
  
He led his mother out to the gardens, settling on a stone bench that overlooked the mass expanse of his property. “I remember being younger out here, being chased by you or father if he had time.”  
  
“You were such a child back then. So innocent. Where did your father and I go wrong?”  
  
“You  _didn’t_.” Toothless sighed. “Mother, there’s nothing wrong. I’m just testing the waters of my future mates. If we don’t connect on a sexual level, how are we supposed to be happy? I don’t want a marriage like Massclaws.”  
  
“He and Maybar are very happy.” The Queen shook her head. “Don’t make excuses. After you’ve exhausted your options of women in this region, are you going to mess relations with our neighboring countries?”  
  
“Of course not, Mother.”  
  
“Then find a mate and settle!” The woman held onto his face, fingers brushing over his high cheekbones. “Stop breaking honest girls.”  
  
Taking a deep breath, Toothless nodded. “Of course, Mother.”  
  
“Thank you, son.” She kissed his temple. “You’re such a good boy.”  
  
Wrapping his arms around his mother’s middle, Toothless nodded against her horns. “You know your happiness means everything to me.”  _I can give up the girls but you said nothing about the boys._  He grinned up towards the gardener making his rounds. “Anyway, I’m going to get a bite to eat, perhaps a bath before I start my new investigation.”  
  
His mother nodded, patting his hand. “Don’t be a stranger, son.” She released her hold on him. Standing up, Toothless brushed from his formal coat, purposely brushing against the gardener with a suggestive lure as he made his way towards the kitchens to grab a plate for himself and the monster in his room.  
  
What did monsters eat anyway? He gazed at the newly caught fish being hung along the walls. The Nadder he’d spent the evening with the week before smiled towards him, arms extended to put the fish out. “My prince…” She rolled her long tail to the side, turning the spikes away from him. Glancing around the room, Toothless noted the lack of attention towards that far wall before stepping behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle.  
  
“Everything here looks so delicious…” He breathed her highest horn, where the gland of pheromone was located.  
  
“Tonight, my prince?” She rolled her wings into his chest.  
  
He groaned. There was nothing he wanted more than to take her to the back pantry, to have the company of another for the first time in a week. Stopping him was the conversation with his mother and father. He’d  _promised_  to watch himself with the ladies, to ensure he wasn’t leaving chance eggs around. Besides, as hot as she was, he didn’t usually bed the same person twice. She hadn’t even been  _that_  good in bed.  
  
“Maybe another time.” He flashed his teeth to her, a suggestion of a very good time. She made a deep noise of delight, slipping from under his arms. “Don’t stop being beautiful.” He winked, grabbing a line of fish from the wall.  
  
“Of course, Prince Toothless.” The girl giggled behind her hand.  
  
With a tune on his tongue, he made his way back down the hall, narrowly dodging his nephews as he passed the hall leading to his chambers. Inside his room, the monster was rolled out on his bed, staring blankly out the open balcony doors with a lost, contemplative look. Dropping the fish on the table, Toothless dropped his coat over one of his spar chairs while digging in his armory. “Dinner.” He murmured absently.  
  
The creature didn’t move from his spot, eyes watching Toothless.  
  
“You have to eat eventually.” Toothless grabbed the thing by its underarms, setting him in an open chair. “Eat.” He pulled one of the fish over from its rope.  
  
The child swallowed, reeling back.  
  
Tapping the meal with his claws, Toothless growled. “Eat.” He brought his hands up, pretending to eat then pointed at the creature, then the fish. “You, eat.”  
  
The creature looked green, not even making an attempt. A low gurgle filled the room, however, gaining both inhabitants attention. Pink, fleshy cheeks tinged a dark red. Going back to his armory, Toothless pulled out comfortable trousers and a house tunic before hiding behind his dress curtain.  
  
Dressed, he stepped out, finding the creature still looking nervously at the food. There was definite hunter in his eyes. “It’s not poisoned. That’s some of the finest trout this castle has!” He grabbed one of the fish, taking a big bite from it. The inner fires in his gut cooked it nicely. He swallowed the last portion. He continued onto three other trout, while his creature-guest still stared at his portion.  
  
“Why won’t you eat?” Toothless sniffed the fish. It smelt fine but maybe there was a bacteria in it that only the creature could smell? “Just cook it then before eating it. It’ll kill whatever’s on it.” He breathed fire along the outer skin, cooking it thoroughly. “There, it should be healthy now.” Pushing the plate back over, he settled along his seat.  
  
To his surprise, the creature finally began eating, a small smile on his face as his flat claws shredded the meal into portions, checking the inside meat. The head of the animal was pushed to the side, along with the fin, ignored while the monster focused on the inner meat, eating around unevenly cooked parts.  
  
How interesting! He’d never seen a creature concerned about the condition of their meal! “Does raw food make you sick?” He put his chin on his hands, watching the monster clean up the remains of the fish, piling the meat on his plate. “What’s your name?” He tried, leaning in.  
  
The creature pushed back, looking away.  
  
Exhaling, Toothless leaned in again. “Toothless.” He pointed to himself. The creature glanced at him, one eye bigger than the other. It made the Night Fury smile. Such interesting expressions this creature had! No wonder those guards had wanted one. He was tempted to keep this one just for the entertainment value. “Toothless.” He tried again, annunciating the sounds.  
  
“Two-less.” The creature pointed at the prince.  
  
Unable to hide his excitement, Toothless clapped his hands. “Great job! Toothless! My name is Toothless!” He laid his hand over his chest.  
  
“Toothless.” The creature tried again. The same look from before crossed his face. A small pink tongue stuck out between flat teeth. “Hiccup.” He touched his own chest. “ _My name is_  Hiccup.”  
  
“Hiccup.” Toothless breathed.  
  
The creature smiled, putting both hands on the table. His mouth moved fast, talking in his odd language as if solving the question of names fixed the barrier between the two. Hands folded, Toothless nodded his head, just pretending to know what Hiccup was rambling about because it certainly beat the monster cowering in his corner.  
  
In the end, he forgot all about the gardener or his bath. All he could think about was where this strange creature had come from because there was no way gods could have put someone so non-threatening in such a dangerous situation.  
  
And he  _would_  get to the bottom of this.


	3. Chapter 3

When he was given his orders to investigate the finding of the god’s gifts, there were four of the creatures known. Each one had been taken in by royal decree, placed under the care of a prestigious healer. Toothless’ focus on the case had been divided between the creatures found and the response to the gifts. There had been a palace leak and everyone wanted to know of the dangers of these new creatures. A look into the slave market rates had also suggested that the unnamed creatures had a marketed value beyond that of a Night Fury.  
  
It was appalling to think that the creature in his room, the very one that attempted to make his bed and dress him in the morning was worth more than him for the mediocre chores he did.  
  
The number of guards posted at the healer’s clinic had grown in numbers, none of which had ever been posted at the Mountain Tour. Arms crossed behind him, Toothless made his way through the corridors of the clinic, nodding to the loyal guards at their post. “Where’s Healer Longtail?”  
  
“In the last room, sir.”  
  
Nodding, Toothless made his way down the corridor. The Healer glanced up from his work with the unconscious creature, making a low noise. “No change, my Prince.”  
  
Crossing his arms across his chest, the Night Fury shook his head. “How do four healthy creatures turn up sick when they’re at our best healer’s?” He reached over, touching the clammy hand of the creature. Whenever he touched the skin of the creature in his room, the boy jumped into the present, scared and eager to please. This one remained in his state of unconsciousness, looking small on the straw bed.  
  
“They aren’t metabolizing our food.” The healer flicked one of his horns, annoyance written across his aging face. “Refusal to eat was responded to with a force feeding. My hypothesis is that these creatures don’t need to eat. True gifts.”  
  
“What did you feed them?”  
  
Annoyance flickering Longtail’s face, the aging Gronckle growled. “A sustained diet of fish and moonseed, puréed into an easy to swallow mush and feed to them through a tube.” Toothless considered that information. For a traditional dinner, fish and moonseed was an acceptable meal filled with appropriate nutrients to sustain life for years.  
  
The little gift in his room pierced through his memory, pushing away plates of raw fish and moonseed fruit. The creature had yet to try the fruit while all meats had to be cooked before he even nibbled on them, eating around the bone with flat teeth. “Did it ever occur to you,  _healer_  that the food might be the reason they’re sick? Perhaps they do not digest our food?”  
  
“Based on their physiological composition, I find that hard to believe.”  
  
“Do we not heat up our food intentionally? We have one dead gift, see if there is a igniting pouch in their upper gut. I would bet if the raw food didn’t make them sick, that our fruity moonseed might be poisonous to them.” He crossed his ankles, heavy was clicking together. “What condition is the gift that speaks near fluent Dragonese?”  
  
“You’re looking at him.” The healer spread his arm out over the prone figure. “By our estimation, the creature is forty summers. He’s Scorned Commander Rippers’ gift, apparently stolen before his retirement twenty-years ago.” The healer tugged down the blankets covering the creature’s neck, tracing a sharp claw over a familiar red marking that encompassed the creature’s wide shoulder. “Apparently the Scorned Commander fancied himself the unknown. Of all four gifts, this one is perhaps the most well taken care of. Before this sickness came about, there was no indication of starvation, no lacerations along the thighs, arms, or back, or signs of trauma. In fact, the only thing that was of some concern to my staff was some minimal damage along the posterior opening but upon further examination it was learned that Scorned Commander Ripper had explored his mate prior to the forced removal.”  
  
“And the others?”  
  
“Again, this was a very well taken care of pet in comparison. The others…I’ve seen slaves that walked away better. The oldest is in his sixties, incapable of speech. No external damage done to the throat but internally…he was burned by fire. The same way you’d punish an insolent _terror_.”  
  
Toothless groaned. When Terrors were too rowdy, it wasn’t uncommon for the annoyed dragon to do a puff of fire into their mouth, causing the internal gas to ignite. It didn’t have any long term consequences to Terrors but for these creatures, the effects were devastating.  
  
For Gifts from Gods, these creatures were so fragile. Toothless admitted he was still uncertain if that’s what they really were but he had no evidence to prove otherwise. His argument about the events of the past century was met with debate about the gods being angry that someone other than the rightful recipient received these beings. There wasn’t much to say what they were and the only one that could tell them was currently dying in front of him.  
  
Uncrossing his ankles, Toothless pushed himself off the wall. “I’m going to speak with Commander Ripper. If there are any changes, I request to be told immediately.” He nodded.  
  
As a hatchling, he’d grown up on stories of Commander Ripper. A Gronckle from Shell-Lock, the dragon had rose to fame through his battles with the angry Red Queen and the followers of the Old Ways. The dragon had proved his kind formidable to all, including the King. Gronckles cherished him while the nobility respected him.  
  
He retired with Toothless was still little, barely able to lift his heavy wings just after taking a last tour of duty in the quiet mountain path. He’d become scorned when it was learned he’d come into possession of one of the creatures. Someone as respectable as Ripper, withholding information… Prince Toothless didn’t even want to think of it. He loved and respected the man.  
  
Kept in the prisons of the palace, Ripper was settled on the ground, on a layer of straw that had bedded many prisoners before him. He glanced up for only a second before lowering his head in defeat upon seeing the crowned prince.  
  
“You are to be my executioner?” He asked.  
  
“Your jury, your lawyer, your savior – if you tell me everything you know about these creatures.” Toothless shut the wooden framed door behind him. Twenty years ago, he would have been nervous about being in this room alone with such a man but now, the Gronckle was so aged the threat was gone.  
  
The once powerful dragon’s voice was rasped as he spoke. “Is he all right? Is my Eirick all right?”  
  
“He’s very sick.” Toothless admitted, lowering his gaze. “When feed a tradition meal to regain to his strength, his body began to shut down.”  
  
Ripper’s eyes hazed. “They can’t eat raw meat. Makes them very sick. He caught a rabbit once, testing our moonseed fruit on one. The poor thing died within hours of convulsions. Never touched them. He did that a lot in the beginning, testing food with rabbits before eating them himself. Later told me that he was raised to not eat anything he’d never seen before unless another creature like a deer or rabbit was capable of eating it. I  _tried_  to tell those idiots that when they ripped him from me. They’re so fragile.”  
  
Toothless swallowed. “What are they?”  
  
“ _Humans_.” Ripper rasped the foreign word. His hands tightened. “I do not understand their culture very well. Eirick tried to tell me everything but…he often had trouble finding one of our words that matched one of theirs.”  
  
“Where do they come from?” Toothless tried again.  
  
“There’s another world on the other side of those mountains. It was this huge secret in those mountain ranges, guarded. Terrors make it through all the time, have experienced and lived alongside these  _humans_  for years but when they come back to our side, they’re killed. Stopped by the guards that are supposed to protect them.”  
  
Toothless growled. “Why did you not report this?”  
  
“I was being forced to retire that year. Old age, not part of the new crop being hatched every second. I was being left with nothing to show what I’d done. Then I stopped those guards from smuggling Eirick into the slave market. He was so young then, staring at me with such horror. I was afraid, we’d been positioned there to kill these creatures but… how could something so dangerous have eyes filled with terror?”  
  
Hiccup had the same eyes when Toothless found him. “What does  _‘please don’t kill me’_  mean?” Hiccup had chanted that even that morning after spilling the water over Toothless’ uniform while trying to clean. In fact, the boy said it so often when he fumbled clumsily around, knocking things over or breaking something of no value.  
  
“‘Please don’t kill me.’ Tell me: have you met one of these creatures, my Prince?” Ripper’s eyes widened. “Eirick used to say that a lot, in the beginning before he understood I meant no harm.”  
  
“Why would he think we were going to kill him?”  
  
The Gronckle sighed, folding his hand. “Because they aren’t gifts like those guards thought. They’re sacrifices, to us – the real monsters. Instead of coming to fight us, they pacify us every ten years with another sacrifice. Eirick said he was selected as a young boy, taught that he was going to die by the time he was of sixteen summers. These  _humans_  have no idea what’s on the other side of the mountain just that when one of their own goes in, they never come back out.”  
  
“How many are there?”  
  
There was a pause in the room. “I don’t know. Maybe as many as us if not more?”  
  
Toothless exhaled. “So… you mated with one?”  
  
Smiling, Ripper nodded. “Ten summers ago. I was worried that he only took my hand and met me under the moon because I was a dragon, the person supposed to own him but I wanted him so bad. Ever summer that he smiles and tells me he loves living with dragons, I know he stayed because he was really happy. I wish I could have collected the other sacrifices, to give them a chance to run free with my mate but I couldn’t. It’d draw too much attention, cause something like this.” The aged dragon sighed. “Didn’t want to share the happiness I found with Eirick with others.”  
  
Gross, Toothless groaned internally. He was talking about this  _human_  as one would talk about a True Mate. “Did Eirick support you’re interest in others of his kind?”  
  
“What?” The Commander’s jaw dropped. “I did not mean it like that! Never! I loved Eirick with my very internal flame. Only the dirtiest of dragons would sow his seed in one he does not truly cherish.” He clenched his face in disgust.  
  
Toothless growled, feeling the sharp words directed towards him.  
  
“As my jury and executioner, will I be allowed to see Eirick before my sentencing?”  
  
“I will have to check with the Royal House for approval.” Toothless grumbled, arms crossed firmly over his chest. “But I do not see why not. It is within your right to be with your mate, in accordance with the law. Your wings will, of course, be clipped prior to the meeting should one occur.” It was a safety measure for those awaiting sentencing as well as a show for the people to see what happens to those that break the law. The greatest dishonor one could be punished with.  
  
The once honored Commander lowered his own gaze. “I understand, my Prince.”  
  
Leaving the prisons, Toothless made his next stop the palace, putting in the Mate’s Right Request. His mother met him in the main hall, her evening gown sparkling in the setting sun as he left his father’s audience chamber. He accepted her hug with half-lidded eyes, letting the tension of his day release.  
  
“They are sacrifices, mother.” He whispered into her horns. “Not gifts. We allowed ourselves to be monsters these creatures on the other side of the mountains fear.”  
  
“We need to find this year’s sacrifice then. Send him back with gifts of our own. Tell his or her people we mean them no harm.” His mother tilted his head down, leaning forward to kiss his temple. “You’ll find him, my son. You were the best scout in the service next to your father. Now then,” she leaned back, her dainty fingers running over his crisp uniform, “We must discuss your potential suitors for your Courting Ceremony. Considering you’re so behind on your studies, we simply  _must_  ensure you step on no one’s toes.”  
  
He ate dinner under the pavilion in the gardens, discussing politics with the neighboring countries. His mother, a long standing member of the social circle, was well versed in the light and dark side of each royal house, from the sons and daughters to the Castle Keepers. Privy to numerous jokes on other houses’ behalf, Toothless almost found himself forgetting the events of the day even when his father joined them for evening wine under the stars.  
  
“I will be first to admit,” His father sipped along the rim of his goblet, “Massclaws barely scratched the surface to this case. You’ve exploded a good portion. Sacrifices? How… savage.”  
  
“And to think, there’s another out there trained to just do what we say. No person should ever be treated like that.” His mother rubbed her claw against her high cheek bones, making a low sniffling noise to extinguish flame. “Definitely not gods. Oh, I wish that poor  _human_  was here. I want to show him how loving of species we really are.”  
  
“Now dear, the right thing is to send the little one back and then just block off the mountain ranges. A few explosions and we can seal the gate permanently; put an end to all of this.” His father turned to Toothless. “The market value for one went up this morning again. Now, even dead, they’re more valuable than one of our hatchlings. There was a riot in the city when word spread that one had died in the care of royal officials. With only three known located, there’s a demand. We’re sending in your old division to guard the gates. Would you wish to join them?”  
  
Shaking his head, Toothless fought the urge to glance up towards his tall balcony. He was scared to see if the  _human_  came out for air that day, being spotted by one of the aerial guards. “I sent out word to change the diet of the  _humans_  in our care. Currently they’re too sick to eat anything but they are ingesting fluids such as water. I also sent out a request for Commander Ripper to, uh, see his mate.”  
  
His mother stiffened. “That man forced one of them to accept such terms of slavery.”  
  
“From what I could see, there was real love in that relationship.” Toothless shrugged his shoulders when his father glanced at him. “The way Ripper spoke about  _human_  Eirick reminded me of how dad speaks of you, mother. True mates.”  
  
Smiling, his mother brought her hand to the king’s face, rubbing his sturdy chin. “Aw, you think of me as you’re True Mate?” She leaned in, brushing her flat nasal cavity with the king’s in a kiss.  
  
“Of course, dearest.”  
  
“Clawless…”  
  
“Raincloud…”  
  
“I’m going to be sick.” Toothless turned his heavy body away from his parent’s display of affection. “I’m heading up to my chambers. If something new arises in the case, send for me immediately.” He offered his parent’s a small smile before entering the castle.  
  
He was rummaging through the kitchens, collecting a platter of things the  _human_  would eat when he heard the clatter of pots before his sister-in-law stepped into the chambers, running her hand over her belly with some excitement. Groaning loudly, the prince dropped his head back on his shoulders.  _I do not want to deal with this right now._  
  
“Toothless.”  
  
“Maybar.” Toothless scanned the array of fruit, looking for something he’d seen the rats outside the castle nibble on. He grabbed the grapes absently, plucking a handful to place on the clay plate.  
  
Attention on the plate, the female dragon smiled. “I had thought the servant girls lying when they said you were rummaging through the kitchens after hours. Do you have another secret you wish to inform the family?”  
  
Placing his hand on his belly, Toothless grinned. “It’s Massclaws’. At least he’ll finally have a Night Fury hatchling fit for the crown.” He leaned forward, a coy smile on his face. “But don’t be jealous, dearest sister; my brother only seeks what you can’t give him.”  
  
“Shut up!” Maybar hissed low.  
  
Toothless had to admit, that was a low blow but it felt so good to get under her scales like she did to him. Dragons mated with varying species all the time with no actual effect on their children. Some healers were describing the process of baby selection as a chance encounter, one his Nadder of a sister-in-law was losing on. Two female Nadder daughters latter, she was still waiting for the male heir. To really gain favor in her youth, she was aiming high for a Night Fury male heir.  
  
“This time I will make Massclaws happy. Our little Night Fury boy will knock your pompous ass off the throne.” She raised her nose in the air. “You’ll screw up again, like always, and my husband will be Crowned Prince. Maybe we should see what poor unsuspecting girl – or boy for that matter, you’ve never been too choosey with coupling – you’re feeding tonight.”  
  
Plate in one hand, Toothless approached his sister-in-law, leaning close enough that he could smell the faint scent of his brother’s seed. _Disgusting._  “You shouldn’t be angry just because I’m not interested in making you leak honey.”  
  
She gasped. “You’re disgusting.”  
  
“You like it.” Toothless grinned. “Go see my brother. He might be more interested in your company than I am.”  
  
“I hope your cheap whore ends up with an egg.” Maybar stormed out of the room, absently grabbing biscuits from the counter on her escape.  
  
Shaking his head, Toothless made his way through the palace corridors, only stopping for a second to tell his nieces how beautiful they were looking that day (because he’d never admit how much he doted on the little ones) before climbing the long, towering stairs to his chambers. The guards posted at his door greeted him with a heavy nod before aiding him with holding the door open.  
  
“Unless it’s my father with news on the case, I wish not to be disturbed.” He shut the doors firmly behind him before turning to find the bundle of _human_  he’d taken in.  
  
Said boy, Hiccup, was scrubbing at the floors, probably for the third time that day in effort to keep busy. Toothless’ bed had been remade with the blankets changed. His linen had been reorganized and folded, and his disorganized desk had been put into neat piles of paper that he’d have to go through and re-sort to make sure important documents hadn’t been mixed with the unimportant ones. It was no surprise that these creatures could easily be mistaken for slaves.  
  
Hiccup was so good at cleaning when he wasn’t knocking things over.  
  
“Toothless!” The  _human_  stood up, dusting his knees off.  
  
“I brought you dinner.” Toothless held up the plate of cooked elk and grapes.  
  
Still smiling, the  _human_  cleared off his dirty rags from the table, setting up two of Toothless’ private stock plates and cups. The dragon settled into his chair, watching as Hiccup poured him another goblet of the fine wines from the east lands. “Please, sit down. We’re both free men here.” The Night Fury waved his hand out, offering the other seat.  
  
Nervously, the  _human_  sat down across from him. “Eat?” He asked, eyes scanning over the plate of food.  
  
“It’s all yours. I’ve already had supper.” Toothless pushed the plate over. “I hope you can eat everything.”  
  
Hiccup stripped off pieces of the tender elk, setting it on his plate with care.  
  
“Do you want to go back home?” Toothless tried asking. His question was met with the familiar blank look of not understanding before a grateful smile about the word  _eat_. Conversations between the two were often one-sided but it didn’t make the world of difference to the dragon that became lost in his talk about his father and mother, his brother and Maybar, even the recent antics of his adorable nieces. Sometimes Hiccup would repeat minor words from all of Toothless comments, asking for some kind of translation that would leave the dragon fumbling around his room to hold up some object to better explain what he was talking about.  
  
Fifteen words were already added to the  _human’s_  vocabulary. Fragile, he may be, stupid he wasn’t. The boy was eagerly taking in everything within the room, following Toothless around like a lost Terror looking for instruction.  
  
“I have to bring you before the courts eventually.” Toothless admitted as he watched Hiccup clean up the dinner dishes. He helped the  _human_ drain the water over the terrace, only smiling when a guard began to shout far below. “But I’m afraid to lose you when it’s all said and done.” There, he admitted it. He didn’t want to share his secret. Sacrificed to the dragons or not, this was a  _gift_  that  _he_  found. There was no reason to share it with the others.  
  
They wouldn’t understand how special Hiccup really was.  
  
At his changing corner, Hiccup proudly held up Toothless bed linen, a heavy sleeping gown. “Toothless, dress.” The  _human_  waved the gown in a ‘come here’ motion. Smiling, Toothless stepped over, bending his knees to let the little creature pluck off the elaborate uniform he’d worn for the day.  
  
He tried to ignore the curious fingers that stayed on his chest or brushed over his wings longer than necessary. He ignored the pink that encompassed the cheeks and nose of the tiny creature as the boy stepped back, rushing out words that were indecipherable in any language. There was always this growing need to touch fleshy skin, smooth as a newborn’s wings.  
  
It encouraged the thought that he  _never_  wanted to bring this person out before his father. He wanted to seal off the caves in the mountain and prove that he was more special than anyone else because he had one of the so-called-gifts. He was prince, it was in his right.  
  
“You must get bored in here.” Toothless laid his head back on a pillow, not looking towards the creature building a bed in the furthest corner of the room, where he’d been instructed to stay at night so others could not see him. “I am positively mad being in here a short span of time without company.”  
  
Green eyes faced him even in the dark, Hiccup’s smile still lighting up the room.  
  
“I want to show you our world, to make it your new home,” he continued into the night, long nails playing with loose strings on his blanket.  
  
The  _human_  turned on his sides, tucking his arm under his head with a low whine to mask a giggle. “Toothless – sleep!”  
  
And Toothless did, losing himself into a fantasy that he would be able to take Hiccup everywhere in his kingdom without any soul making eye contact with the one he loved and cherished.  
  
His eyes snapped open in the middle of the night, past the lure of low breathing from the  _human_  on the floor.  
  
 _Is this what it feels to have a True Mate?_


	4. Chapter 4

He tore apart his private chambers for good measure that morning, leaving the mess in the devastated Hiccup’s hands while promising absently to bring food up eventually. After only collecting three hours of sleep last night, he was now late for his father’s royal decree on what was to be done in the mountains. After, he would need to go back to the prisons to finish up his interview with Commander Ripper. If he was lucky, he would miss the formal luncheon with his mother and the other clucking harpies eager to meddle in his love life.

King Clawless’ audience chamber was filled to full capacity, leaving a warm glow in its wake. Toothless brushed himself along the walls as he made his way to stand beside his father where Massclaws already stood with his family. It was all symbolic, proving that the royal family all stood as one on the matter no matter which son would take the throne.

Giving him a smug side glance, Maybar tucked her hand into her husbands, the free one still holding her daughters against her side while her husband gave him a critical look. “Case related.” Toothless explained absently. Truthfully, the human in his room was case related. In fact, every second he hid the boy’s existence was another snip to his wings when his father learned of this newest transgression.

I’ll tell him after.

“-and It is by My Rule that any dragon found lingering by the caverns – be he Terror or Nightmare – will have his wings clipped before a crowd. In one week, the mountain pass to the otherworld will be destroyed. Any person harboring a human illegally will be brought upon the court for sentencing.” The King’s voice rang out clearly throughout the hall, over the trickling over conversation still going on. “My Word is the Law. See to it.” The king lowered himself into his seat, gazing over the people as they were led out to inform others of his decision.

Siding up to his father, Toothless lowered himself a little. “I need to speak with you, father.”

“Not now, Son. I’m going to be having a backlash from my Royal Cabinet now that I’ve completely ignored the opportunity to take over this foreign land. Do you understand how much resource we have completely ignored by sealing the cave the save face with this new species?” Clawless growled as his first advisor stepped into the room. “You may also tell Commander Ripper that the removal of his wings was a decision of the court. He should be lucky that he gets to keep his mate.”

Tilting his head to the side, Toothless frowned. “Did his human wake?”

“No.” Clawless growled. “Healer Longtail believes the human may not wake by morning.”

Swallowing, Toothless nodded in understanding. Ripper’s sentence had been lightened only because his mate had died in the hands of the Royal House. He should have been executed for his crimes. Truthfully, Toothless didn’t see the once proud dragon living longer than a week after his mate passed. “I will bring him to his mate’s side immediately.”

“We can speak later today, will that work for you?”

Toothless swallowed. “Yes, sir.” He patted his mother’s shoulder before leaving the audience chamber, clipping shoulders with the Nightmare Advisor more noted for his advocacy for war and slight desire to continue slavery in only the Terror population. The aged dragon and he exchanged narrow looks until Toothless departed the area, making his way through the remaining crowds of News Carriers in the halls.

The punishment of Commander Ripper took an excruciating two hours for them to remove his wings permanently, forcing the once proud dragon to be earthbound until the day he died. After which, he joined the Commander in the healer’s den concealing the dying human. The man was smaller than he’d been just the day before, having lost a good portion of body mass from regurgitation.

“Oh, sweet Eirick, what did they do to you?” Ripper brushed the palms of his hands over the prone figure’s inward cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

“He won’t…”

“Hush your cheap words!” Ripper hissed. “I have faith that the gods will protect my mate and will bring him back to me. He won’t die, he’s stronger than that.” He lowered his face into the human’s neck. “His gods and our gods are all watching out for him. He will survive.”

Toothless swallowed. “When,” and not if, “he is better, you will be allowed to take him home, Ripper.”

“Is my punishment over?”

“Yes.” Toothless stiffened his form, not sure what to make this new response. A grieving mate was not something to be trifled with, no matter how old the individual was.

“Then please leave me, Prince Toothless. I wish never to see the Royal Family again, even in my afterlife.” Ripper dropped his head on his mate’s chest, his snout pressed against the sturdy ribcage.

Placing his hands to his side, Toothless closed his eyes. “As you wish, Ripper.” He turned tail and left, never to look back at the odd couple again while thinking of his own situation. It was never sure if there was such a thing as a True Mate, at least not beyond that of an idealistic dream but there were moments like this Toothless had to wonder if it was true.

Besides, he’d never felt like this about any of his earlier exploits. Would Hiccup ever let him that close? Or would the boy always be frightened? What was a conscious Eirick like?

The Palace was still filled with life when he arrived back. He noted absently that the courier for the Eastern Lands had arrived, positioning guards appropriate in wait for the Duke’s Family. If he remembered correctly Duke Rancid had a male mate and a male son, whom he spent the night with nearly two summers ago.

A strong-willed Nightmare, by no means submissive. That had been a fight he’d only one because he was two years older than. By now Lord Razor Jaw had likely grown into his proud body. Either way, Toothless didn’t want to be dominated by that.

One of the guards, whom he’d been in camp with a long time ago, chuckled as he passed. “Your Lady Mother requests your presence. You’re late.”

“Removing the wings of a traitor is not easy work.” Toothless grumbled. “Tell my mother I am changing into something more presentable and then I will meet her.” He still had a human to feed anyway.

The human was putting away his clothes when he stepped into the room carrying a plate of cooked fish and sweet jam that he doubted the boy would actually touch. “Ah.” He lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry about the mess this morning.”

Glancing up from the floor, Hiccup gave the plate of food an eager look before climbing to his feet to set the table for two. He was stopped in the middle, when Toothless held up one finger making a point that only Hiccup would be eating that meal. “I have a luncheon with my mother. You’d like her, she’s… well, there’re no good words to use in describing her but she makes you love her. Was your mother like that?”

As expected, he didn’t get a response as the boy shoved as much fish into his mouth, almost like he expected Toothless to take it from him. Had he been that angry when he left in the morning? Toothless offered his best ashamed look.

“I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself for even thinking about you like… that.” He wasn’t like Ripper. He had some taste in who he mated with. It didn’t matter how good the human smelt (like berries) or how soft the boy’s skin was (as smooth as a newborn dragon’s wings), or even how he made Toothless feel (scared and confused), there was no way they were compatible.

Toothless was the gods’ gift to dragon-kind. He did not, country to belief, sleep with anything that moved– including humans.

The creature gave a tiny belch, so low Toothless barely heard the noise. Embarrassed, Hiccup covered his mouth with his hands while his wide eyes looked up at Toothless with obvious shame.

Not able to keep the mirth in, he laughed. He laughed so hard, his sides hurt. In turn, the human began talking in such a rushed voice that only made pink cheeks flame red. The sight made the prince laugh even harder, arms wrapping around his center.

“W, why would anybody sacrifice someone as cute as you?” He panted, brushing the palm of his hand into his eyes, pushing away the moisture that had caught. Even behind his hands, Hiccup had joined in on the laughter. It was a nice sound, Toothless decided. One he wanted to hear more often.

“Toothless?” Hiccup giggled before talking in another quick succession. Green eyes kept with Toothless’ own.

“Toothless!”

Jerking, Toothless threw himself at the human pulling the boy down to the ground to cover as his mother’s voice entered his room before the heavy doors were thrown open. “I will be down in a second, Mother!” Toothless looked over his shoulder at the woman. In his arms, the human was beginning to shake.

“Do not take the tone with me! We had a deal!” She growled low, a warning. “What girl do you have this time, you insolent boy?” She screamed. Nervously, the guards shut the heavy doors to give the Royal Family privacy. Toothless never loved his entourage more than he did that moment.

“Mother, I think we really need to talk. Privately.” Toothless lowered his own voice.

His mother ignored him, storming the distance between them to reach around her son in attempt to grab the suspected girl that Toothless was hiding. Her sharp claws tightened around Hiccup’s arm, pulling him out of Toothless’ protective hold and into open with a loud scream of fear – from both Toothless’ Mother and Hiccup.

“Is that—!” His mother let go of the human jumping back. “Toothless! Where did you find a human? When were you going to tell us? Oh my gods! Don’t tell me you’re keeping a slave! I raised you better!”

Taking a deep breath, Toothless put himself between the cowering human and his mother. “Please, Mother—I can explain. I was going to tell father everything this morning but…” He’d been sent to work before he could even come clean and now it was all coming undone before his very eyes in the worst possible way. Turning around, he dropped himself to his knees, putting his hands on Hiccup’s shaking shoulders. “Please stop crying, Hiccup. This is my mother. Mother.” He swallowed hard. “Mother.”

“M, mother.” The human whispered, bottom lip quivering.

“Sh.” Toothless ran his hand through Hiccup’s soft fur. “You’re safe. Sh.”

The human repeated the word with some difficulty. “Mother?” He repeated. Toothless nodded, releasing his hold. Hiccup pushed back, face still red but not crying.

Whatever anger his mother had possessed previously had disappeared with the lightest of winds that came through his balcony doors. Settling on the ground, the female Night Fury did better at looking small and without threat, better than Toothless ever could. “I’m sorry for scaring you…Hiccup?” She glanced at her son for confirmation that it was the boy’s name. “I’m Toothless’ mother.”

“Mother.” The creature repeated, still hunched inward.

Smiling, the Queen beamed from ear to ear. “Yes, mother.” She emphasized the word again, holding her hand out. Hiccup stared at her manicured claws for a second before glancing at Toothless’ hand, as if he was taking in any differences between ‘safe’ hands and ‘not safe’ hands. Awkwardly, he reached out, putting his claw-less hand into the Queen’s. “His claw is so tiny!” His mother cooed, enclosing her hands delicately over Hiccup’s own. “I can just see why those slave traders want you – I could just gobble you up!”

“Please don’t.” Toothless grumbled.

“I once wanted to gobble you up. Then you became sour.” His mother shrugged her small shoulders. “What does my stupid son have you doing in here, stand up. He’s so small, have you been feeding him at all, Toothless?” She chastised while pulling the human over to his abandoned meal. “Now,” she settled into her seat, flattening her skirts, “tell me everything.”

And Toothless did, except for the small detail that he was interested in the human as his true mate. He wasn’t sure how his mother would take that. Probably better than he was, by any means. “I wasn’t purposely keep you or father in the dark,” Toothless elaborated. “I just didn’t know what to do at first and then things just became so busy, what with word about the existence of these creatures spreading. I really was going to tell father this morning.”

“And when were you going to tell me?” His mother huffed. “Honestly, it’s always ‘tell King Clawless’ but never Queen Raincloud! Did it ever occur to you I might like to be in the loop when things like this happen? Please tell me you’ve brought him more than just that small piece of fish and jam? He’s skin and bones! Honestly, Toothless!”

“One, he doesn’t eat usually at mid-meal. Usually he’ll eat a big first meal and an even larger last meal. Second, when I mean large, I mean a portion slightly bigger than a Terror’s portion. I’ve brought him up more and he ends up drying out the meat in the sun and saving it from later. I bring him fruit and he’ll either eat it or he won’t. Don’t even get me started on other sides. He’s more finicky than a Nadder.”

His mother cooed. “Those are sometimes endearing traits in a princess.”

“Mother!”

“I’m not suggesting for you! It’s not all about you.” His mother shook her head, muttering under her breath. “Anyway. Go and fetch your father. Tell the guards to bring him here on the Queen’s orders.”

Toothless did just that, alerting the guards discretely to bring his father upstairs on his mother’s request. He didn’t elaborate further, allowing the display of punishment to be written in the air. At the table, his mother was passing grapes to the human praising the boy with every bite while promising to put some weight on him so he could make a human prince a happy man. “Boys don’t want skinny girls, they can’t carry strong hatchlings.”

“Don’t fatten him up, Mother. He might think you’re going to eat him.” Toothless dropped into his own seat. “And don’t we have a luncheon we’re supposed to be at?”

“Lord Brighteyes is such a bore! He and his diminutive hatchling can wait.” His mother rolled her eyes before holding out another grape, elaborating on the word. Repeating the word, Hiccup grinned when the fruit was handed to him.

Toothless tried to ignore the jealousy flaring in his gut.

“Don’t glare, sweetie. It’s very unbecoming.”

“You’re treating him like some pet.”

“I’m teaching him words, Toothless.”

“H, he doesn’t need—”

His mother glared at him, placing her hands on the table with all of her attention directed towards her oldest boy. “He can’t rely on you forever. You’re going to have a mate one day and he’ll have to leave your care. Perhaps he can enter mine? It’s been so long since I’ve had a little one to take care of.”

“You have the girls.” Toothless reminded her.

“Why are you so eager to keep him to yourself?” His mother paused. “Don’t tell me…” She faded off as the doors to Toothless’ chambers were thrown open again. Hiccup rushed behind Toothless, using one of his large wings to hide while the owner tried to give off the best unconcerned look he could muster as he father stormed in. As a hatchling, the look on his father’s face had scared him straight countless times. By the time he entered the service at sixteen, it had failed to work with its original magnitude.

Like magic, it came back with a vengeance and all he wanted to do was quack under his mother’s wings, hoping she’d protect him.

“I wish to be alone with my son.” The king’s voice was even, laced with a hate that Toothless had never heard. The guards escaped the room, looking small and helpless under the lord’s rage. When the heavy doors shut, the king’s rage intensified. “You couldn’t go two weeks—two weeks without smearing my name in the mud with your childish games? Upsetting your mother!”

“Calm down, dear.” The Queen soothed. “There’s much to be angry about but Toothless’ less than stellar habits are not in question this time.”

Toothless’ horns lowered under his mother’s gaze.

“Hiccup, sweetie? Please come out. I have more grapes.” The queen pinched one of the fine fruit between her finger and thumb, holding it out in a near comical attempt to sooth a frightened beast. Toothless raised his wings high, an effort that took most of his strength when all he wanted to do grab Hiccup and fly somewhere safe. “There now, he’s not angry at you, he’s angry at our stupid son.” One of Toothless’ heavy wings was pushed back by his mother in effort to tuck arm around the human’s center and pull him out.

There was a heavy air in the room when Hiccup was pulled from his hiding spot. The boy still clung to one of Toothless’ wings, stretching it almost painfully as he tried to look small in a room full of towering dragons. The Queen continued petting the boy’s hand, offering him encouraging smiles to come out more while King Clawless settled into one of Toothless’ softer chairs in the corner, a look of defeat written across his face.

“I made a decree this morning.”

“I wasn’t harboring him.”

“Then what do you call this!” The King shouted. A look of shame crossed his face when the human jumped, darting back under Toothless’ wing. “When did you find him?”

Truth was the only thing going to save him now. “When I was sent for a quiet duty at the Mountain Post.”

“How?”

“The guards were sneaking into one of the caverns. I followed them in and found Hiccup deep inside, near the entrance to their worlds. Father—he was tied up and scared! I tried to get him to go back to their side but he just followed me out and I didn’t know what he was at the time. All I knew was the guards posted in the mountains wanted him, now the slave traders want him, and by the time I knew more about the situation, I was already in too deep.”

The King crossed his claws in his lap, exhaling. “When did you intend to inform your mother and me of this?”

“This morning, after your announcement but I wasn’t given the opportunity.” Toothless lowered his wings, opening Hiccup to the world. The human stepped back further, flattening against the wall. “I wasn’t trying to hide any of this from you. I had to assess the situation from all angles. I couldn’t put him in more danger than he already was in that cave.”

“And tell me what you intend to do with him now.”

Toothless’ face blanched at the idea. He hadn’t really thought that far ahead, too busy with his horror of finding a True Mate in such an odd creature. “He won’t leave, I tried.” And now he was too afraid to leave the boy unattended at the cave. Hiccup might make it inside, towards the winding path leading to his world but there was no guarantee he’d pass the gate between worlds without being captured, sold into slavery. Raped or killed by someone who didn’t understand how fragile these creatures were.

A growl resonated from his chest before he could stop it.

“We have to do something.” The king crossed his arms.

“We don't have to send him back, do we? I mean, he was a sacrifice to us. Wouldn’t that be an insult to this other world’s…generosity? A slap to their face?” The queen inquired.

“But by keeping him we’re supporting this custom. Sacrifices don’t hold the same rights as you and me. It can be argued that Toothless, having found the human sacrifice can use him as he pleases.” The King sighed. “If that card is played, he doesn’t fall under the slave laws. Toothless,” he faced his son, face hardened, “You must return him to the mountain passage. After which, the tunnels will be destroyed and the problem will be finished. We cannot keep him.”

“But Father!”

“I said no, Toothless! He is not a pet!” The King breathed. “Imagine yourself in his situation. Wouldn’t you want to be returned home knowing that the people you were given to treated you fairly to the very last second?”

Toothless nodded.

“Then see to it. For his sake.” Standing, King Clawless fixed his wife a cool stare. “Let us leave him to say his farewells to his new friend in peace.” The Queen nodded solemnly, waving two clawed fingers at Hiccup before her husband tucked his arm around her center, leading her out of the room.

With the king and queen out, Hiccup visibly relaxed, talking quickly while pointing towards the door with excited words that mixed with his fear. Glancing over the boy, Toothless dropped his head on the table not sure what action to take next.


	5. Chapter 5

There weren’t that many instances that Toothless admitted his father were right. While he wouldn’t say so out loud, there was no question that Hiccup wasn’t safe in this world, filled with dragons eager for the human. It had grown to a point that, once word had spread that the castle had “found” the recent human, Toothless had taken the job of body guard, never leaving Hiccup’s side while scrutinizing each person that came too close.

It was hard to say who to trust anymore.

Not even three days after his parents had discovered the human living in Toothless’ chambers, the royal family found themselves out in the gardens, silently watching the human stretch out in the sun while chasing butterflies and collecting wildflowers. His mother had given him the chastising look about denying the human the freedom he so obviously needed but Toothless still felt he was in the right.

“The caverns will be guarded by my trustworthy of men tonight,” King Clawless commented, absently. His arms were tucked firmly behind his back, eyes directed forward, not at Hiccup but the direction of said mountain ranges. It wasn’t an empty statement, Toothless noted absently. It was a discrete order. Take the human there and led the boy far enough in the caverns that he won’t get lost on the route back to his lands.

“If they are really sacrifices,” Toothless whispered, “This will be seen as an insult. Sending the human gift back.” 

The queen, even the diplomatic one, smiled sweetly. “Then we will send him home with gifts. That should appease them.” 

“Toothless! Toothless!” Hiccup shouted over the gardens, waist deep in the foliage. His fine clothes, commissioned by the queen only a day before, fluttered open, letting milky thighs peak out into the warm weather as the round bottom danced. “Toothless!” Hiccup repeated, peeking out. He waved the dragon over in a familiar fashion that stated, I found something and I want you to tell me what it is. Luckily for the human, Toothless was more than willing to indulge.

Pacing over to the bush, Toothless pulled open the limbs to see what Hiccup was fascinated with and grunted as a frilled lizard hissed at him, ruffling its flabby skin around its face. Hiccup jumped back, jogging Toothless’ elbow. “It’s just an annoying frilled lizard. They’re from the southern lands, sometimes they come up here on cargo holds and breed like locus. Harmless.” Seeing the blank look the human was giving him, Toothless smiled. “Frilled lizard.”

“Fri-ri-lee-zard.” Hiccup tapped his lip, repeating the word with more accuracy after.

“Do you not have them where you’re from, Little One?” Toothless picked up the little lizard by the long tail, holding out for the human to touch. Wide eyes, Hiccup looked up at Toothless for reassurance that this one didn’t spit when assaulted. The rash on his hands were still healing from the last foreign species attack. After a long, decisive battle, Hiccup reached for the lizard, squeaking as it escaped his hand to rush up his arm. The dance to get away from the slippery iguania made the prince smile as he returned to his family to finish discussing the plans to take Hiccup back to his family.

In that time, his brother had joined his parents, sipping pleasantly from a cup of warm drink his mother had poured while discussing the recent antics of his daughters, who were nowhere to be seen. With their mother, perhaps? Toothless bit back the rage that boiled in his stomach. Maybar had also been adamant about staying at least two rooms away from the human at all times, questioning the disease the boy could be carrying.

Raising his glass at Toothless, Massclaws smiled absently. “Mother was just telling me how good with children you are. When should be expecting the little ones?”

“Close your mouth,” Toothless hissed.

Massclaws smirked. “I meant with the steward girl. She’s been passing you the most interesting of looks. Although, I must say, the human has made you much more… tolerable to be around. I haven’t seen anyone walk around with a limp, but I guess that’s all to change.” He ignored the claw flicked his way, as did both men’s parents. “Anyway, I’ll be joining you to the mountain ranges.”

Scowling, Toothless’ flicked his claws again. “I don’t need you.”

“You’ve already housed the boy once. We can’t trust you not to trying smuggling him through the door again.”

The king grumbled into his own drink. “That is not the reason and you know it.” He stopped the bickering between the two brothers with that simple comment. “Anyway,” Clawless continued, “I don’t want you going into those mountains alone. The slave traders have grown desperate. Luckily the door to the other world appears distant that only our kind can make it to the other end but even that appears difficult. We don’t know what is lost in there, I want you to have Massclaws with you on the just in case.”

“Of course.” Toothless growled.

“You boys will leave after dark. Massclaws, watch your brother’s back, he’s been known to not make the best of decisions of late.” Toothless scowled at his father across the table, stuffing a pastry into his mouth as Hiccup came running over, asking for the cup of water specifically placed for him. While there, he conned Raincloud for three cookies and half of Toothless’ favorite tart before rushing back to his garden exploration, licking cream from his fingers.

In the calmest of voices, Massclaws watched the entire interaction with dull eyes. “So when are you going to adopt him?”

Toothless always claimed his brother looked most normal covered with food.

Hours later, after dressing Hiccup with warm clothes made from the finest of material Toothless could find that promised to supply warmth; the dragon offered his claw to the boy. Bright eyes, Hiccup asked ‘fly?’ with so much excitement, the prince felt bad for leading the boy astray. They flew around the castle a few times out of guilt before continuing over the expansion leading to the mountain range, listening as Hiccup laughed and hollered with excitement as the wind brushed past them.

If this detour annoyed Massclaws, he didn’t say anything as they landed feet from the cave. The younger brother nodded before entering the quiet cave, to check for any stragglers in the winding system as Toothless focused on Hiccup. Fixing the disarray in the human’s coat, Toothless straightened any mess before pulling the bag from his shoulders of pricey jewels to give to Hiccup. “Payment, for your work. No labor is free.” Toothless patted the knitted sack into the boy’s hands.

Blinking, Hiccup opened the bag before pulling it closed with wide eyes. He tried to give it back. 

“Give it to your people. Tell them…we mean no harm.” Toothless brushed the pad of his thumb over Hiccup’s high cheekbone. The creature tossed the bag on the floor, terror in his eyes.

“Stay!” He grabbed Toothless’ arm, dangling midair with a heavy weight. “Hiccup stay! Toothless! Hiccup stay!” The boy held tighter when the prince tried to dislodge him.

“You need to go home, Hiccup. Not safe here.” He tried to reason while patting the bag back into the boy’s arms. Grabbing Hiccup’s elbow, he all but dragged the human into the open cavern, meeting his brother in the path he’d met Hiccup what seemed forever ago. Still dragging his feet, Hiccup grabbed Massclaw instead, hiding behind the heavier Night Fury’s leg. For a moment, the only sound that filled the cavern was the heavy breathing of the human, trying so hard not to cry. Bending to level himself with Hiccup’s eye, Toothless wished that they had light for that moment, so the human could see him. “Please, Hiccup.”

Placing a big hand on the human’s back, Massclaws pushed the boy forward. “Toothless will walk you to your world. Won’t you, Toothless?” His voice was so reassuring, the same one he used when his daughters were throwing a tantrum from fright. The very voice that he used to use when they were little boys and he wanted his and Toothless’ portion of the seasonal oxen. It always worked then; now was not any different.

It was another bout of dragging on Toothless’ part when he finally grasped Hiccup’s hand. It took a lot of work for them to enter the other world and Toothless could feel the force of magic around him that made his wings prickle and burn. It was cold, a frozen land in the midst of a snowstorm. Around them, there was no tracks of another creature – human, dragon or otherwise. “Hiccup?” Toothless whispered. For the first time since finding the boy and exchanging names, green eyes didn’t meet his own dark ones. “It’s for the best.”

“Stay…” The boy whispered in defeat before babbling, pointing at a wood line. “-Toothless!”

“They’re your own kind, they’ll take you back. Just bring them these.” Toothless shook the bag of priceless gems. “I have to go, Hiccup.”

“Toothless!”

“I’m going to miss you.” He didn’t look back at the human as he said this, entered the cave at a pace he knew Hiccup wouldn’t be able to keep up. He looked back halfway down the tunnel, making note that Hiccup still stood on the other entrance, having not moved since they parted ways. He met with Massclaws just short of the entrance to his world, eyes downcast. “How long?”

“They’re just waiting for us.” Massclaws took the lead, bringing Toothless out of the empty cave. As promised, the king’s guards were stepping from the wood, followed by the most powerful of Spitfires in the country, ranging from powerful Nightmares, to Terrors. “Do you want to watch?”

Shaking his head, Toothless spanned his wings with his brother. Without looking back, Toothless carried back to the kingdom. Behind him, the once grand mountain caught ablaze, tumbling upon itself until the many tunnels were blocked by mountains of rubble for no one else to even pass through worlds. You did the right thing, he told himself as he landed on the balcony to his room, which now felt empty without the addition of his roommate.

He spent the evening with the youngest guard of his personal liege, twin Zipplebacks. They loved like a typhoon, pushing and pulling constantly fighting for dominance and the prince took it, just wanting to feel. It wasn’t like his other conquest. This, he realized after he came, was an empty interaction, not even a notch on his bedpost.

Attempting to fill the void that suddenly took him; he sought the Nadder from the kitchens, meeting her in the outskirts of town on the way to the local market to buy a broach. She seemed pleased to see him, for the first time since Hiccup had become known in the castle.. With a shake of her tail, she led him from shop to shop, swindling a few beautiful pieces of jewelry from him while making non-subtle hints about his upcoming party.

“I’m not getting any younger. And, we have such beautiful chemistry.” She cupped the bulge in his trousers behind the changing screen in the shop. Kissing along her neckline, Toothless frowned upon realizing that her touch and taste was doing little for his libido. The only thing feeling touched was his pocketbook, and that was never any good. The necklace, he decided as he touched the shells along the outer-rim, enjoying the colors of greens, blues, and pinks, would have looked much better against Hiccup’s white skin than a Nadder’s greenish blue.

He ripped away, shaking his head.

“Prince?”

“I should get back to the castle. I promised my mother to help with the final details of the court. Security doesn’t man itself.” He kissed her dainty knuckles, enjoying the smooth stretch of wing that locked along her wrist. While smooth, it still had a rocky surface of scale rather than the silky stretch of human. 

“You’re thinking about him.” The girl grumbled, pulling her hand away. “I kept telling myself that Lady Maybar was blowing hot air again – she does that during her nesting periods – but I can’t help but wonder the truth in the matter. Did that human actually give you a sickness, my prince? You haven’t been the same the last three days.”

“Of course I’m fine.” Toothless growled. “Hiccup was not carrying any diseases that I could tell. Don’t listen to my dearest sister-in-law. The hatchlings, they mess with her head.”

Humming in agreement, the female crossed her short arms over her breast. “But all you seem to think about is him. That couldn’t possibly be healthy. I needn’t remind you, my prince, but he’s human.” She said the word as one would a rat, making Toothless’ growl resurface with new meaning. I didn’t deter the abrasive woman. “Your preference to anything with two legs and a working mouth isn’t unheard of but even you should have some sense on what is an animal and what is a proper dragon.”

He slammed her against the stone walls of the store, his hand around her neck. Under his palm he could feel the bob of her throat as she attempted to swallow. “Don’t you dare say another word about Hiccup,” he hissed. Releasing her throat, he took a step back. “Consider yourself relieved of duty. Please remove my name for the check; the fine lady can handle her own purchases.” He stepped out the door, leaving his better conquest behind.

A traditional Courting Ceremony was a gala of snobbery, one in which Toothless had only been present for a handful of times in his lifetime. Usually they were housed by parents of less than favorable daughters, eager to sell her off to the highest bidder with the promise of a dowry to make up for the unattractive pairing. With the prince having one to find a beautiful princess, it was promised to be a mess, one that Toothless wanted no actual part of. 

As he expected, preparing for the event was only the top layer of his bad week. Within the twenty-four hours of Hiccup’s removal, the castle was swamped with powerful princess, princes, and children of rich merchants. Groups of onlookers had toured the grounds with company of the guard, many asking the question about the location from the human. It was Toothless’ job to remind people of the slave laws, pointing out that Hiccup had been returned to his people – as was the proper thing to do.

In the end, it was all show. The people had to know that Hiccup was only there for a few days and even the prince was held under the same laws as the people. He never made a hint about his failures of seeking sex known and his mother didn’t bring up the sudden disappearance of the Nadder from the kitchen. She did, however, keep him under a tight thumb, whispering recent goings under her breath.

“Your father has been cross lately.”

“You should put out more,” Toothless grinned as his mother hit him.

“Believe me, there is nothing wrong there. He and I do not have to overcompensate like some people.” She smoothed her beautifully embroidered skirts. “He feels there is one of them among us.”

“Them?” Toothless leaned in, eager to hear the gossip of the castle for once in his young life. 

“The slave traders.”

“Oh. Them.” Not surprising, there was one everywhere. He’d anticipated it more than once. He didn’t have enough information to issue a full scale investigation on the case; turning over every guard, servant, and helper’s past to find loose stones that may be better left unturned. His father had always told him that if you cannot trust the help, then you could not trust anyone. Toothless had always held true to that belief. Those were the people he’d grown up with, that knew how he took his breakfast and listened to his orders all in the same breath. 

His mother nodded, encouraging the tailor around him to work on the fine coat of his uniform hat had needed trimmed. “There was a ship that we had sent out rumored to be housing a human that went untouched. There have been heists that have been empty handed. Finally,” His mother paused, biting her lip. “There was activity out at the mountains.”

Toothless’ world stilled. “Before or after?”

“After. We believed that the slave traders had been hoping for a tunnel unchecked but when guards were sent to intersect, they came back with no information. Said that the mountain was still shimmering with the heat of fires- believed that had made it look like someone was there. I do not believe that nor does your father. We just don’t want to think we have a spy among our people.”

“I would think not.” Toothless scowled. “Mother, allow me to go check—”

His mother shook her head, shaking her earrings. “Your brother is already investigating the site. You are to stay here, find a mate, and have me beautiful grandbabies. Now stand still.” She had the tailor stab him with the long needle for added measure. “Hiccup is safe on the other side of the mountain, where he belongs. He probably isn’t even thinking about us anymore. Most likely he’s happy with his mother and father, his sisters and brothers, even friends.”

“You didn’t see the terror in his eyes when I left him over there.”

“You’re overreacting.”

“I hope you’re right, mother.”

He was excused from his duties the rest of the day to relax beside the warm fire in the parlor off his private chambers. In there, he tried to focus on reading but found himself staring out the window towards the mountain ranges while wondering what Hiccup was really doing at that moment.

*

 

The Courting Ceremony was alive with music and chatter. He’d been introduced to so many pretty faces that Toothless was faced with a growing headache as none of those pretty dragons had any effect on him. Instead, he was filled with comparisons from one individual to the next. Too tall, too small, too green, too yellow. His mother kindly reminded him that he couldn’t afford to be picky.

Toothless begged to say otherwise. It was his mate, he had right to decide what features were most acceptable to put his princely self in. 

He danced with handfuls of girls, even young men who fought over the lead with him. The prettiest girls, he told his mother halfway through, had been his nieces, whom he allowed to not only dance on his feet but also danced with each girl twice. “I’m being generous. If they can’t beat my nieces, than none of these candidates have a chance.”

“Now you’re being stubborn.” Queen Raincloud chided. “Clawless, tell your son to actually try.”

“Actually try son.” King Clawless chimed on cue, watching the flow of persons with the same scrutiny Toothless was. “Or I’ll pick the lucky candidates for you. I much liked the Nightmare boy, Ju Han.” Toothless blanched at the thought. Ju Han had not only tripped him twice while dancing but had also made it very clear that Toothless would have such beautiful hatchlings.

Toothless was not going to mother any children. That was why they had invited these unsavory persons into his kingdom. One of them would be the lucky person to give him a beautiful egg to rival his nieces. They just needed to have the right features, like a shapely nose and expressive green eyes. Maybe a killer smile wouldn’t hurt (one without sharp, pointy teeth, of course).

“I need some fresh air.” Toothless pushed himself off the wall, making his way to the wide open columns leading to the gardens. There was still no escape from the mass of people trying to court him. Lady Flaremoth, the daughter of a powerful merchant in the Western lands, met him along the columns, a small smile on her hardened, Nightmare face. “A walk, my lord?” She requested, holding her hand out expectantly.

Exhaling sharply, Toothless took it. “Are you enjoying the evening, miss?”

“Oh yes,” the girl cooed. “It’s very lovely. I’ve always wanted to come to the capital but never saw a reason.” She rubbed the back of his knuckle, a pleased smile in her eyes. “Until now. Your reputation precedes you, my prince. I nearly expected to find my skirt hiked up around my hips upon landing in your fair lands.”

“Blasphemous lies. Lovely dames must be dined before bed. It builds their endurance.” Toothless leaned in, a smug smile on his face. Flaremoth’s grin rivaled his own.

“Oh, you are bad. It’s a good thing I’m not actually interested.”

Pulling away, Toothless exhaled the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. It burned his lungs as it escaped, a soothing feeling in the cold night air. “Then why come here?”

“Father would much prefer I make, uh…acquaintances of finer power than our own. Who best than the king’s own right ear? Personally, I care not for the politics. If he really wanted trade connections with the Jagd, he should be on that floor himself offering his mouth to you.” She tapped her lips, a playful smirk on hers. “I’ve come here to see the selection. Cast offs are always so delicious to a Nightmare.” She licked her lips in a look he knew all too well. 

“You and I could possibly be best of friends.”

“True but I don’t want to always be in your shadow, my lord.” She settled on the stone bench. “Tell me, is it true?”

“Is what true, my lady?” Toothless smirked, ready to flaunt anything she’d ask.

“That you harbored the human longer than the castle was willing to admit?” She hummed low as Toothless fell silent. “I thought so. How interesting but to be expected. I wasn’t-ah.” She paused, staring off towards one of the bushes; the very one Hiccup had seemed so focused on just two days before. “Something was there.” She commented absently when Toothless didn’t note anything.

“It’s probably a frilled lizard. We have a few of those.” Toothless started towards the bushes.

Bending down, he parted the bush and froze. Green eyes stared back at him past a dirty, scratched up face. Dressed in the clothes he’d been wearing two days before, only much dirtier, Hiccup stared up at Toothless while attempting to warm himself with his hands. The breath caught in Toothless’ throat.

“My prince? What is it?” Flaremoth inquired, approaching him.

“Toothless!” Hiccup cried out, jumping from his hiding spot. His long, thin arms wrapped around Toothless’ middle.

And Toothless felt to tears through his warm uniform jacket.


	6. Chapter 6

Pulling his coat off, Toothless dropped the thick material on the little  _human_  with only a passing glance towards Flaremoth, who stood a distance back in expressionless observation. There's a second that he thinks that it's all over, that she'll start screaming about the  _human_  being in the castle, only causing hordes of dragons to come and see the biggest secret of the year. It's a scary thought, one he's not willing to put Hiccup through.  
  
"You will not speak of this." His voice is steady and powerful, the same tone his father uses when his word is the law. It causes Flaremoth to give a startled jump, pressing her lips together with a low, understanding noise.   
  
"I have no intention of speaking of this to anyone, my lord." She brushes her dress absently. "Take him inside, I'll keep the crowds distracted." The train of her dress slid through the dirt with the flick of a long tail as she started back into the palace with a sense of purpose. The gander of girls, sided against a wide column in wait for the prince, were gathered up by the nightmare and carried in for the simple task to powder their horns for the prince.  
  
The small tug of his lips was not lost to him. He tucked the name of the merchant's daughter in the back of his head before taking Hiccup by the arm and starting through the more private sections of the royal gardens. There was a path leading into a hedge maze, currently guarded by two gronckles that Toothless slipped easily past with only the passing looks of surprise from the men in his family coat of arms. "Inform my father that there is something of importance in the Green Room. Do not inform anyone else of the  _human_ 's return."  
  
Hiccup's face was nearly tucked into his hip bone, the small  _human_  using the fabric of his trousers as a veil. A firm hand on the creature's back, the prince brought Hiccup through the winding maze and into the small doorway peeking on the furthest corner of the castle. It was a heavily guarded path only used by the royal family, leading into the King's private office and library more commonly known as the Green Room. The Green Room had been aptly named by his great grandfather, after his stunning mate had redecorated with her favorite flowers and colors, leaving a more earthly feel into the stone. These days, it was more neutral in atmosphere with an excellent view of the private gardens.  
  
Dismissing the zipplebacks with a nod, Toothless settled his  _human_  on the seat of the davenport, giving the once over to categorize every blemish that hadn't been there two days before.  
  
The nice clothes and jacket Hiccup had worn when left back in his world were torn and caked with mud. Under his eye were three long cuts, the remains of someone's sharp claws. Tilting Hiccup's head back, Toothless swallowed as he noticed the formed bruising wrapping around the small creature's neck, the familiar tell of collar and chain.  
  
With a clue to lead him on the right path, the prince nudged his jacket off small shoulders, taking in the sights. More bruising and cuts moved down his arms (someone had  _dared_  to wrap their dirty claws around the  _human_ 's forearms?), leaving angry red patches along pale skin until the familiar darkening of flesh around twin wrist were all Toothless could see.   
  
"Slave traders." He turned Hiccup's hand, looking at the fine scaring left by metal brackets. There, right under the blue vein that sometimes visibly pulsed up the small hand, was the slave trade insignia of two dragons linked by the tails. The main group, the ever elusive Tail Raiders, was known to blatantly rush through towns and gather up victims in the day. Toothless had been seeking out the main group for years, with only faint ideas that they were housing out in the furthest islands, but countless searches had come up negative.  
  
And in two days, Hiccup had stumbled upon them. In his own world.  
  
That should  _never_  have happened. Massclaws had personally checked those caves, there were no signs of other dragons.  
  
Rambling in a quick voice, Hiccup held up his arms. Toothless rubbed the skin gently, brushing his flat face through dark hair, hoping to pick up any familiar scents. All he could smell was the faint flowers of the gardens and cooled water. "How did you escape?" He whispered. Hiccup touched his cheeks, staring hard into his eyes.  
  
"No leave Toothless! No!" The  _human_  language was high pitched and shaky.   
  
"'No leave Toothless.' Not again." Toothless wrapped his arms around the boy. "I'm so sorry I put you in danger."  
  
He released his hold when the side doors to the office were opened, his father stepping with a good pace. Behind him, looking every bit her part, was Raincloud, watching and considering the situation. The king's eyes fell on Hiccup, supplying himself with answers much faster than Toothless had. Finally he turned his attention on his oldest. "Return to our guest, Toothless. Your mother will sit with the  _human_  until we can gather information appropriately."  
  
"I really think--"  
  
"There is no room for discussion, Toothless. He's been grabbed by slave traders and we need to put out an air of not know what is happening. I've sent a guard to collect Ripper. We will have some answers by tonight but until then, we cannot sit idle. Raincloud?" His gaze dropped on his wife. She tapped his cheek lovingly before sitting next to Hiccup.   
  
Immediately, the boy twisted from Toothless, pressing his face into her skirts with a scared cry of, "Mother!"  
  
Toothless bit back the jealousy that rose in his gut. He could still hear in his head the loud crying of the  _human_ , the wish not to be sent away again. All Hiccup had known was that Toothless had taken him somewhere and someone  _bad_  had hurt him. "Of course. I'll send for Fishhook to come up and stand guard."  
  
"Are you sure that is a good idea?" The queen asked, brushing her claws through Hiccup's tangled hair, scowling at the dirt and mud caking around the scalp.  
  
Glaring at his mother, Toothless flashed a fang at her, something he hadn't done since he was a child. "Don't you dare suggest that my most loyalist friend is one of  _those_." He brushed off his father's reassuring hand, grabbing his coat as he stormed towards the door. "I will send Fishhooks to watch the doors. He can be trusted."  
  
Fishhook was a dragon - a nightmare - he had grown up with as a hatchling. The son of one of his father's most loyal guards, the nightmare had always been the prince's closest friend. He had joined Toothless for training at the royal guard facility, taking pledge to the future king. Now the head of Toothless' private guard, the two still carried on as hatchlings when they had the chance, sharing drink and exaggerated story about their conquest.   
  
He found the dragon along the outer halls leading to the party, fixing his sash with an annoyed scowl at the fabric that was part of the formal uniform. "Hook." He stood next to his friend, looking out at the party. The females were crowded together, around the tall Flaremoth laughing and chatting. The female nightmare, center of attention, turned golden eyes towards him, winking playfully and Toothless found his cheeks burning, turning away.  
  
"She's a hot thing. At least an eight on the scale." Fishhook crossed his arms, watching the female. "I'd tap that tail if I were interested."  
  
"You narrow your options so much tossing it up with zipplebacks only." He joked back, his friend smirked back.  
  
"Well,  _two_  heads are always better. It's a threesome every time." He nudged his friend. "Have you found the one you're willing to take as a mate yet?"  
  
Scowling, Toothless grunted. "Didn't come to talk to you about that. I'm certain you recall the  _human_  from a few days ago in the palace."  
  
"Yes, and I still haven't forgiven you for not telling me you were keeping the biggest scandal in your bedroom under my nose. Why do you bring it up?"   
  
"Well he's back." Toothless sighed. "The slave traders caught him in the mountains but apparently he escaped." The color in the nightmare's face disappeared. "I know, I'm sure you've heard that father and mother suspect one of the guards to be a double. It was too coincidental that, even after we checked the caverns the slave traders were still there waiting."  
  
Fishhook grunted in agreement. "Massclaws was the one that confirmed the cave safe for travel, wasn't he?"   
  
"It's dark times, my friend."  
  
The silence between them was an understanding comfort that spoke volumes louder as it always had. "What do you want me to do?" Fishhook finally asked.  
  
"Stand guard over Hiccup with my mother until I can leave this party. You're the only person I can trust right now besides my mother." Toothless straightened his own coat and sash. "I will attempt to be out of here before the early hours. Whatever happens, don't let him out of your sight until I get there."He used the reflective surface of a vase to look at his horns, fixing the one above his forebrow. "We should get a pint when this is all over, feels like we haven't tossed a couple back together in sometime."  
  
"Well with my life giver being so sick." Fishhook rubbed his largest horn absently.  
  
Embarrassed, Toothless squeezed his friend's shoulder. "How is he anyway?"  
  
"He is doing better." Fishhook trailed off, looking away. "Anyway, you get out to your party. I'll sit with the  _human_." He moved down the hall, tail swaying behind him.   
  
Stepping out into the party, Toothless plastered on his best smile as the son of a wealthy trade family came up to him, requesting a dance. At the base of the room, his father settled back in his throne, taking audience from the families of his kingdom with the calmest of eyes. On the dance floor, the prince made traditional small talk about the number of hatchlings he was expecting, how the throne worked, and his favorite topic how much sex was expected.  
  
He was sipping champagne when Flaremoth approached him again, an intrigued sparkle in her eye. "I think I deserve a dance, my prince." She raised her glance. "Especially since our talk was cut so short by a little contraband."   
  
Toothless smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about, Lady Flaremoth."  
  
"Of course you don't." The female tilted her head back with a knowing smile. "We're not talking about that. So have you danced with Ju Han yet?" She didn't offer him the chance to talk, already seeing the answer in the prince's face as he scowled. "Of course you have. He's been flaunting his impression on you, about his future title as lord consort."  
  
"Believe me, that isn't in his title any time soon, my lady." Toothless rested a hand on her hip, swaying to the orchestra at a timed beat. Her long arms wrapped around his neck. "I still find it hard to believe that you would come here simply to catch a couple castaways from the night."  
  
"Hm? Oh, yes. Simply delicious morsels. Tell me, my lord, what exactly are you looking for in a mate this evening? Perhaps I can point you in the right direction."  
  
The flash of Hiccup came across his eyes. Someone that seemed to understand his every need without words, which had relied so heavily on him for honest reasons. Cheeks hot, Toothless to a sip of his drink while gazing over the crowd. "What I want, madam, is everything that you have."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I want the freedom to decide a bed partner for the night with no expectations of forever. I want to be able to continue the game, cherish the time I have to sample the flesh of all these men and women without risk of commitment. Find me that in this flock of hopefuls." He glanced over at Ju Han, who breathed a kiss towards him. "There's more than just the throne behind me."  
  
"A man of multiple layers." Flaremoth tapped her chin. "Why, it almost sounds like you're describing  _me_. Someone who doesn't care if you go out and gallivant around the servants, sampling their honey before a suitable pair comes about. And what of a female companion would you expect save a wallflower who knows when to keep her mouth quiet?" She stepped away from him, brushing his side with her wing tantalizingly. "You might be searching forever. These people expect high status jumps and expect you to be a wallflower for them. Right now they are nothing but to have such a trophy on their arm."   
  
Toothless scowled. "I am no--"  
  
"It's what they're expecting, to be the person to save you from your personal evils. To be the one to make you docile." She brushed a hand over his chest. "But it's not me you want." She breathed, walking her claws over his chest. "Let us hope you find that mate among these people who will let you run wild and untamed."  
  
She stepped back through the crowds, approaching her valet with the smallest hint of pride. Toothless watched her leave before glancing back at the remaining party guest, most of which would stay there looking for some hint of the future princess.  
  
His stride towards his father was stopped by his sister-in-law, her beautiful dress annunciating the slight bulge of egg in her belly. Catching her arm, he dragged her back towards the dance floor, as a deterrent for any more hopefuls of the night. Maybar grumbled low but accepted his hand politely, following in step with the pride of a lady.   
  
"The girls were talking about the party." She started, absently staring towards her husband standing wait at Clawless' side. "They just love their uncle Toothless. I don't understand possibly  _why_."  
  
"Sure you do, the same reason you used to." Toothless tucked the female close, letting his step move with the music. As expected, she was flawless, keeping up with the beat without stepping on his shoes. "What's your opinion of the gaggle of sheep throwing themselves at my feet?"  
  
Maybar smirked. "Sheep is the right word. If they had more than a few minutes to actually speak with you, they'd rush away a predator like you. But I am to understand you've hit it off with two people tonight."  
  
"Ju Han speaks lies." Toothless grunted.  
  
"Of course he does because anyone that met you knows you adore children but despise the thought of birthing them. Such a dominant male. Two sex organs but a desire to use only one. What does that make you?"  
  
"A man."  
  
"Under all those words, you're still a dragon like the rest of us." Maybe hummed. "But no, I meant that Flaremoth girl. I spoke with her earlier, before you disappeared. She doesn't seem the least bit interested in any of this. It is odd that she would come if not for the allure of the palace." Her golden eyes shifted through the one, cataloguing every piece of information she would need of the guest. "But she's not the only one who has your attention.  _He_  does as well."  
  
Nearly breaking stride, Toothless twirled his sister-in-law with a flare of skirts. She twirled gracefully around him before taking his elbow again, bringing their bodies together with the switch in musical tempo. "One, she's here at her father's insistence."  
  
"A girl not interested in the throne is dreadfully you. You hate to be bested by anyone when it comes to ambition." Maybar smiled. "But you're avoiding the  _he_." There was a pause between them and her smile became a smirk. "Not talking about the  _human_  currently nestled into Rainy's skirts doesn't make him not exists. You've always been such a deviant when it came to passion but this isn't the same. You're sly when you want something, language barrier or no. What is it about the  _human_  that draws you to him?"  
  
"I'm not talking about this with you." Toothless stepped back but she pulled him in again.  
  
"Is it the uniqueness of it all? You always had to be special. Special privilege, special guards, special lovers."  
  
Toothless scowled.  
  
"Or is it just the air around him?" She smoothed his jacket, no longer dancing. "I know my opinion doesn't really matter to you these days since I chose your brother over your arrogant ass but... if you're going to make an appropriate decision, do it as an adult. Think about the throne, which will indeed be under your royal tail one day, and think about the family. Finally, remember that person's feelings because this is all still so new and wondrous but one day the veil will drop and he'll realize just how horrible this place is." She patted his breast pocket, kissing his cheek. "Go dance with the groupies, Toothless. Give them something to dream about tonight. We only need a possible name tonight more appropriate courting will come after and if you make the wrong decision, there is always your back up."  
  
She stepped away from him, stepping into her husband's arms with the sincerest of smiles. Massclaws glanced up at Toothless, wrapping his arm around his wife before leading her away. Returning to his trek to his father, Hiccup took his father's elbow appropriately, watching the remaining crowds that wandered the party. A few drunken stragglers were led out until finally the hour approached that it was appropriate for the prince and king to leave the party.  
  
"-His answer will be known tomorrow. We will send for the lucky mate then. Thank you for coming." He made his rounds pointedly, never staying long enough to give a guest time to ask about hints about Toothless’ upcoming brothel and do keep his or her son and daughter in mind as they had the finest schooling this world had. Toothless bit back the condescendence from his face with a stern warning look from his father. Politely, Toothless bowed over the claws of multiple women and men of all shapes and sizes, never staying longer than a few seconds before taking towards the side door after his father when the goodbyes were said.  
  
The silence between them was stifling but Toothless didn’t make the attempt to break it as he picked absently at loose threads on his uniform, enjoying the soft waft of dirt, trees, and something distinctly  _human_  left on it from  _human_ , filling his mind with something other than his father. “Have you selected a girl?”  
  
“In a few short words, I don’t have much choice.”  
  
“No. Which of those fine individuals will be gracing our tables for the next few weeks as we prepare for the betrothal and mating ceremony?”  
  
Toothless sighed. His sister-in-law was right, there were only two individuals that had made a lasting impression on him – and one of those persons was not on the approval list. “Lady Flaremoth.” He glanced off. She was most likely not to change his world too much. It appeared the only problem they might face was the throne requirement to produce an heir, but she was best suited for his personality.   
  
“Interesting choice.” His father made a soft, approving noise. “I almost feared that you would select the  _human_  seducing treats from your mother.”  
  
“Well, I knew how much you would approval of that.”  
  
“I would approve it if it were not for the fact that you would walk all over his inability to speak our language. The point of the mate was to get some control over you, son, and not to enable this behavior any longer. Lady Flaremoth comes from a family of merchants and has the best schooling in the country. She’s head strong, ambitious, but not overly so. The only person in this whole city that didn’t butter me up with questions with the throne as a goal.” There was something set in his eye, a hint of disproval at one thing or another. When he didn’t elaborate further, Toothless continued on.  
  
His mother and Hiccup were still in the Green Room with Fishhook standing nearly over them, ensuring the queen that he could carry Hiccup back to Toothless’ room and it’ll be just as safe there as it was in that room. Looking up from his queen, Fishhook stepped back with a shake of his head.   
  
“I’ll take him upstairs.” Toothless settled in front of Hiccup, smiling as he watched the little  _human_  sleep in his mother’s lap, even breath escaping his parted lips.  
  
“So who is going to be my new child?” Raincloud leaned in. Toothless grumbled. “Don’t keep it a secret, tell mommy.”  
  
“Lady Flaremoth.”   
  
“Oh…” The Queen’s face crinkled. “ _Her_.”  
  
“Now, Rainy, she’s a good girl.”  
  
“She’s not right for our Toothless.” The queen grumbled. “Surely there were other girls that caught your fleeting attention for a second?”  
  
Arranging Hiccup in his arms, Toothless thanks Fishhook with a pleased smile when his friend helped around the wiry  _human_ s around his neck so the boy was leaned deep into his shoulder. In his new position, Hiccup flexed his lips before parting them again, a thin line of drool rolling down the prince’s uniform as he slept on.  
  
“I can carry him back instead, my prince.” Fishhook offered. “So you can speak with your parents about the betrothal.”  
  
Casting a look at his parents, Toothless grumbled. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore tonight. I’ll have a room arranged for Hiccup in the morning – my wing, preferably – and we can discuss the future mating ceremonies with Flaremoth tomorrow over tea. Until then, I’m tired.” Toothless stiffly leaned over to kiss his mother on the temple. “Good night.”  
  
“I’ll personally look into getting Hiccup a room in the castle tomorrow. I think he’s going to be a permanent fixture in our life so we’re going to need more… _human_ -compatible furniture in this castle.” Raincloud glanced at her mate. “And I think Fanglorn should be called in to do these designs.” Toothless and Fishhook shared a smile as they left the room, knowing his mother would always talk the king into hiring only the most expensive interior designer known to dragon.  
  
All for a little  _human_.  
  
“I know I’m asking a lot out of you but I wanted to know if you could guard Hiccup…personally, when he’s not with me or the family?” Toothless settled into step. Fishhook glanced at the  _human_ , unsure if he was up for the job but finally nodded. “Thank you. You truly are my dearest friend.”  
  
“Don’t try to butter me up, I see right through your lies.” Fishhook smirked. “Good night, Toothless.” He nodded at the doors leading to the prince’s private rooms. Toothless nodded back, shifting the weight in his arms effortlessly before making his way down his corridors.   
  
He was trying to settle Hiccup in his bed when the boy roused from his sleep, arms still wound around the dragon’s neck. Reaching behind him, Toothless peeled the firm fingers apart, letting Hiccup dip onto the mattress. Sprawled out on his bed, arms dropped over head in a submissive position Toothless had seen all too often, the prince found himself flushing as he pulled back.   
  
“Toothless?” Hiccup looked around with bleary eyes. “Mother?” He searched for the female night fury.  
  
Brushing his clawed hand through Hiccup’s dirty hair, Toothless dislodged a leaf from its spot. “Just you and me, Little One. Safe now.”  
  
“Mad.” Hiccup puffed his cheeks. “Bad Toothless.”  
  
“I didn’t mean for anyone to grab you Hiccup. All of this will be explained in the morning when Ripper gets here. You can tell us everything then.” Toothless rested his hand on Hiccup’s hip, scratching off a layer of dirt. “You are so dirty, Hiccup- worked hard to get away from those slave traders, didn’t you?” He brushed his thumb over white skin that flashed from under the damaged skin. “I don’t know about you but I think we could both use a bath. I smell of fancy perfume.” He rocked the other boy’s hip playfully before standing up.  
  
A quick order to the guards standing wait on the other side of the door to have the baths prepared for them was easier than pulling Hiccup from the bed. The  _human_ , still half-asleep, gripped the soft blankets with a firm grip, kicking angrily at Toothless while crying repeatedly for the bed but the prince remained firm in his decision – if he was going to share his bed than his little friend was going to clean the grime off.  
  
At least so Toothless could finish categorizing all the damage done to his  _human_.  
  
It didn’t occur to him that Hiccup had never been in his family’s private baths until he finally was able to drag the reluctant  _human_  into the tubs. In fact, Hiccup’s bathing had been restricted to the usual bucket and cloth that most commoners used. The boy’s eyes seemed wide and the three single in ground basins of various sizes and forms along the floor. As children, he and Massclaws used to bathe with his parents; a common practice in the family, one now shared by Massclaws and his growing family, but Toothless still occasioned the baths with his father or nieces but more often than not, enjoyed the quietness on his own in the deeper of the pools.  
  
Bent over one of the basins, Hiccup looked into the body of water, currently filling with the aid of advance plumbing from the castle walls. Nervously, Hiccup dipped his fingers and pulled back, startled. Within the matter of minutes, he was talking excitedly while ripping his ripped boots off to dip his foot in the warm flow. There was the widest of smiles on his face as Toothless shuffled through his private collection of toiletries while also helping himself to a few things from his mother’s vast collection of soaps.   
  
When turned around, Hiccup was naked (Toothless had only seen that much skin when he changed the boy from the rags on the first day) and jumping into the pool of water with a voice of high excitement, all hint of lack of sleep gone. Dipping his own foot in the water, Toothless slid into the basin with more finesse. The fact that the little  _human_  was swimming around the pool in quick laps as his nieces tended to do meant little to the dragon as he added a few of his mother’s bath soaps into the tub.   
  
Stopping mid lap, Hiccup waddled over where the water became thick with the cleaner, trying to toss the remaining clumps out while shouting at Toothless.  
  
Using the opportunity, Toothless dipped his wet fingers into Hiccup’s hair, working bath soaps into the tresses. Squeaking, Hiccup swatted at his hand before slipping under the water to swim away.  
  
“Hiccup!” Toothless grabbed the boy’s foot. It fought to get loose from him but he moved his hand up, grasping hold of milky, smooth thighs. Pulling Hiccup back, Toothless settled the  _human_  of him, firmly locking the boy into place with his legs and tail while working his mother’s finer soaps into the dirty hair. Hiccup huffed nosily but tilted his head back, letting Toothless’ claws massage his scalp.  
  
The scented cleanser was pulled handed to Hiccup, to let him smell the lavender scent while Toothless lathered his scales with the thick solution to keep them from dying out but appropriately washed away the dirt from the day. When he looked back, Hiccup had an additional layer of bubbles forming in the pool and around him, resembling a giant snow-dragon (or was it a snow- _human_?).  
  
Putting on his best annoyed face, Toothless put his hands on the soapy head of the  _human_  and pushed Hiccup underwater, effectively washing away the suds. A clean Hiccup popped out of the water a second later, laughing joyously. Paddling to the side of the basin, Hiccup pulled himself out, settling happily on the side and watching Toothless reach for the drain plug.  
  
He should never have glanced over at Hiccup at that moment. The  _human_ , water droplets rolling down his body, was a little pink along the ears from the heat of the water. He was plumping up nicely along the sides and no longer could Toothless count ribs as he had been able to do when they first met. The thought to categorize all the scratches and bruises were lost to the dragon as he caught site of the  _human_ ’s cock, nestled warmly along the  _human_ ’s thigh, limp.  
  
It occurred to him suddenly that while he had seen Hiccup naked, he’d never paid attention to the anything below the  _human_ ’s belly button. Was it supposed to be out like that? A traditional dragon’s cock (even the terrors) usually sheathed inside a protective sheath that didn’t dangle nearly as much as Hiccup’s cock. He wanted to ask if Hiccup was average for a  _human_  but it seemed inappropriate. In fact, the boy looked to be proportionate to his size, albeit thick. There was a tuft of brown, straight, hair at the base of the boy’s white penis, drawing Toothless’ line of sight back up towards green eyes watching him.  
  
Hiccup flushed, covering himself. “Bad Toothless.” Hiccup turned away.  
  
“You’re not in a sheath.” Toothless stated, matter-of-factly. “Are  _human_ s out of their sheath all day? Doesn’t it dry up?” He pulled Hiccup’s hand away, glancing over the impressive  _human_  dick again. It twitched against the floor, shifting a bit to the center. Toothless inhaled just as Hiccup tried climbing to his feet. Grabbing the  _human_ ’s thighs, the prince stopped Hiccup, leaning in. “I just want to see, Hiccup. You don’t need to be embarrassed.”  
  
He'd never been fascinated by dicks before, Hiccup's was simply different. It didn't barb like a terrors or coil like a gronckles, it seemed to seek warmth like a beacon, moving and hardening under Toothless' watchful eyes like a performing worm. The only sheath he could identify was at the very tip of Hiccup's little penis. Experimentally, the prince pushed the skin back to let out more of the  _human_ 's dick to see how long Hiccup would actually be if he wasn't fully covered. Instead, he didn't find much more than a darkening mushroom head.  
  
"T, Toothless..." Hiccup whined, his knees tightening as he attempted to close his legs.   
  
It was almost a game, pulling the protective layer of skin back and forth and letting his fingers shift around the alternating size of the  _human_ 's cock. Under his hands, Hiccup's hips began to shift, his pink lips parted with small gasps and moans as Hiccup's penis hardened under his palm, rising up towards the smaller creature.   
  
"Ahh... Too--ahh!" Hiccup's hips jerked up and a bead of white spilt from the tip, rolling down Toothless' dark hand in a slick contrast of color.   
  
Pulling away as if burnt, Toothless gazed at the sticky fluid over his fingers then at Hiccup, breathing heavily with the widest of eyes rimmed with unshed tears. Hiccup, no bigger than his nieces.  
  
Hiccup -- the one person he ever felt the need to protect.  
  
"I..." Toothless swallowed. He jumped to his feet, hand still over him, with awareness that the noises Hiccup had made while ejaculating had an effect on him. Hiccup looked even smaller, his eyes focused on the thick length peaking from Toothless' protective sheath, already an impressive width in comparison. "I'm so sorry..." Toothless took a step back, instinctively grabbing his robe before rushing out of the baths.   
  
He stumbled into Maybar as he fled down the hall, holding her ever-growing belly with the faintest of smiles. "Take Hiccup for the night." He demanded.  
  
"What in the-" Maybar paused. "Toothless, what's wrong?"  
  
"I can't-I..." Toothless looked at his hands, the evidence written everywhere. "I'm not Ripper. I can't hurt him."  
  
"Toothless!" Maybar grabbed at his arms. "What have you done?" She tried to sound comforting but Toothless wasn't thinking about anything but the mistake he'd just made. Hiccup had already been handled by slave traders that day, who knew what they had already done to him and Now Toothless had forced himself on the little  _human_? Hiccup would never want to see him after this. "What's going on?"  
  
"I, I have to get out of here..." Toothless stumbled past her, feeling sick. Outside, he emptied the contents of his stomach in the bushes.  
  
 _Get a hold of yourself, Toothless. You're just horny, haven't been laid in some time. This could have happened to anyone._  
  
Only it didn't happen to anyone, it had happened to Hiccup.   
  
And Toothless didn't know how he could live with the thought that his shameful ways had hurt his little  _human_.


	7. Chapter 7

Drowsy and still drunk, Toothless leaned against the palace walls trying to hold the laughter threatening to bubble over. The night had been spent with Fishhook, at the pub in the city receiving good luck drinks while complaining about the injustice of it all. As the dearest friend he'd ever had, the nightmare had remained sober and kept the drinks coming, offering a friendly ear while coxing Toothless on -- about his sister-in-law (a favored topic between the two), his upcoming mating, and especially the human problem.  
  
The priceless vase, circa King Warfury reign, fell from its perch. Staring at the shards on the ground, Toothless reached his arm out while trying to maintain unsteady legs. Making it to the other side made him laugh jovially.  
  
"Toothless."  
  
"Hiccup!" Toothless reached for one of the two Hiccups in front of him. He missed the real one and slammed face first into the wall on the other side. Not the least bit embarrassed, the night fury laughed again. Firm arms wrapped around his ribcage, trying to pull him upwards. Looking under his arm at the short human, Toothless joyously tightened his grip around the tiny figure, letting most of his weight on the other. "Fi-Fishie told me the greatest joke ever! Want to hear it?"   
  
"Toothless, help!" Hiccup struggled under the heavier weight.  
  
"What do you do with a green dragon?" Toothless flung his arm up, swaying on his feet. "Y-you wait for it to ripen!" He rolled into himself with laughter, nearly knocking the little human over. For the life of him he couldn't find the strength to stand up straight, helping the human carry him to his bed. "I-I gotta better one! W, what's the difference between you and an egg?" Toothless threw his arm over Hiccup's shoulder. The human's knees buckled. "The egg gets laid!"  
  
Hiccup stumbled under the dragon's heavy weight, his knees buckling as he moved through the corridors, trying to keep Toothless on track. The dragon, busy reaching for fancy draperies and cracks in the wall, kept rambling, from a few other choice jokes only funny to his ear until he touched base on the problem that had been bothering him since the night earlier.  
  
"'M not like Ripper- not a human-fucker, better taste than that. Never fuck a lesser creature." Toothless pulled away from Hiccup, leaning against the wall. "Never want to touch you again- never want to see that look again. Y-you deserve better than that." The world even! Hiccup deserved...any dragon that would take the boy and give him a new life. Or maybe his mother could adopt Hiccup, so long as the Royal Family stayed in power Hiccup would receive the care he would need until the end of the human lifespan (however long that may be).  
  
Standing small in the grand hall made to fit the tallest of dragons, Hiccup's arms dropped to his sides. "Toothless." The boy numbly played with the rope holding his trousers tight around his small hips. Stomping his foot, the boy rambled out his human tongue, ending with a growl of, "bad Toothless!"  
  
"I am bad! Roar! Go away!" Toothless swung his fist. His claw clipped the stone ground, and he stumbled into Hiccup's smaller frame. With a squeak, Hiccup caught him with buckling knees, ranting and raving in his confusing tongue. "...Why didn't you run when you had the chance?" He still imagined the human terrain, fresh snow covering hidden slave trader tracks. "Get away from me and all this..." Toothless rubbed his face into Hiccup's chest, enjoying the smell of lilac that only came from his mother's skin cream.  
  
"What in the world are you doing?"  
  
Toothless flinched as his brother's smooth voice came across the corridors.  
  
"Molesting just wasn't good enough; just have to go for the real prize: his virtue. I'm sure there's plenty of that for you." Massclaws crossed his arms, head tilted to the side. Toothless hissed low, trying to straighten his hunch and hide how drunk he looked. In the end, he swayed trying to figure out which brother was the real brother he was supposed to be looking at. Hiccup straightened up next to him, smiling brightly at the younger dragon. Toothless sheathed some more, flashing his tooth. "Put those flashy pebbles away, you're only looking like a monster."  
  
"Maybe it was you who kidnapped Hiccup!" Toothless stomped over. Massclaws flashed his own fangs.  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"Why were you in such a hurry to leave, trying to cover up your crimes you rotten, no good-"  
  
Massclaws jumped him. Both men tumbled through the grand hall, claws extended and teeth biting. Toothless grunted as his slower responses gave his younger brother enough time to slam him into the ground, cheek grazing the cold ground. "Stand down!" Massclaws hissed, heavy knee digging into Toothless' wings. He only moved when guards touched his shoulders, alerting the second prince of their presence.  
  
Toothless struggled as he was raised off the ground. "Let go of me!" He shouted, pushing off one of the guards with an indigent huff. "I know it was you, it had to be you-!"  
  
"He's drunk, take him to his bed, maybe he'll be thinking clearer once he's sobered up." Massclaws placed a hand on the small of Hiccup's back, giving the boy a reassuring smile he often gave his daughters when they were frightened. Toothless shifted in his place but let the guards lead him away. "Mother was requesting you, Hiccup." Massclaws whispered.  
  
Toothless felt Hiccup's stare even after he was tucked into bed.  
  


* * *

  
  
Queen Raincloud put her glass of wine down when Hiccup was brought into the study, her youngest son at his elbow. "There's my Little One." She kissed the top of the human's head. Hiccup gave her a forced smile. "What happened?" She looked up at Massclaws.  
  
"Toothless and I...may have exchange a few blows in front of him." Massclaws ran his hand down his face, pulling at his chin in frustration. "He accused me of kidnapping the human."  
  
"This is stressful times, Massclaws. Don't take his words to heart. He'll regret them in a few hours. Please, sit." She waved an elegant hand to the comfy blue chair in the corner. Taking it, the youngest night fury put his foot on the ottoman, watching with a tired expression as Hiccup moved around the library with a sense of awe. Every little thing seemed to strike the human, from the simplest of foods to the grandest of buildings. It was as if the creature had lived under a rock. "I'm sure Maybar told you of last night."  
  
Nodding, the queen reached for her wine again. "Briefly, or at least what she had seen when she collected Hiccup from the baths. I will talk with Toothless when he is more composed. Hiccup, would you like to sit?" She patted the seat next to her.   
  
Paused at a row of script, Hiccup looked at the seat with some suspicion before moving over. "Mother." He smiled at the dragon before glancing at her drink, nearly empty and pressed to her mouth. With a wide smile, Hiccup reached for the pitcher containing the fine drink, offering it for refill. The queen let him with the smallest of smiles.  
  
"Hiccup," She whispered. The boy, setting the pitcher on the table, looked up at her. "We brought someone to the castle just for you." She tapped his nose and Hiccup winkled away with a real smile. "His human tongue isn't the greatest but he might shed us some light on what happened in the two days he was up in those mountains. Our fastest fliers can make it from the mountains within three hours." She explained to Massclaws. "We have reason to suspect he put up quite a fight."  
  
"Good." Massclaws smiled, reaching for a glass. Hiccup pushed his hand away, filling up a glass and offering it up. "Thank you, Little One."  
  
"He would have been such a better princess than that awful Flaremoth." The Queen sniffed.  
  
"Mother, give the girl a chance. Toothless seems to like her. You cannot judge someone you haven't even met." Massclaws sipped his drink. Behind him, the wide doors were opened and his wife stepped inside. She gave Hiccup a calculating look before settling against her husband's side.   
  
"The girls are at flying school." Maybar touched her husband's knee. "Mother." She nodded at the queen. Raincloud straightened up, her smile returning at full force.  
  
"And how is our newest addition?" She nodded at the nadder's belly, slightly protruding with the forming egg.  
  
"Healer believes it'll be a night fury this time, the egg is so big." Maybar proudly touched her belly. Her smile disappeared when she caught Hiccup staring at her center and she subconsciously shifted into her husband. "What are we going to do with him?" She finally asked.  
  
Raincloud chuckled into her drink. "I want to keep him but Clawless says he doesn't know how long humans live, much less how old little Hiccup is. We're not young hatchlings anymore. Ripper is our human expert. He hid one away for so long, we are kind of hoping he might offer sanctuary for the boy, at least until Hiccup can better take care of himself."  
  
"For the best," Maybar eyed the boy.  
  
Hiccup eyed her back, owlishly.  
  
"I wonder what has him intrigued this time." The nadder frowned.   
  
The conversation was ended when Clawless entered the room, Ripper at his elbow. The dishonored commander stopped in his tracks as his eyes fell on the human and Hiccup shifted in his spot, tucking himself into the queen. Massclaws and Maybar stood, offering the comfy chair to the King, who declined it to settle on his wife's right side. He laced their fingers together with a glance around the room.  
  
"Will Toothless not be joining us?"  
  
"He has drunk himself under the table." Massclaws supplied. Maybar, sitting in a fine chair off to the side, stifled an undignified sound. "I will inform him of all this later, when he has had time to...come to terms with some things better left unsaid."   
  
Maybar frowned. "As well as undid." She looked at Hiccup. Hiccup shifted nervously. "Please, Commander Ripper. Sit." She nodded towards the lower chair for the gronckle. The old man thanked her politely, settling into it. His attention focused on the floor for a second before he spoke.  
  
" _Good morning, Hiccup. I am here to learn what has happened to you in the mountains._ "   
  
And all of Hiccup's nervousness died away into excited energy.  
  


* * *

  
  
Five years ago, Hiccup stood quietly with his father, holding the older man's hand tightly even though it was a very unmanly thing to do. To be honest, he would realize later, his father was holding on just as tightly and was only a step behind some of the parents and clinging to his son like it would be their last moments together.   
  
"Why must we do this again? We've changed! Are the gods never going to be happy?"  
  
There was an echo of agreement amongst the people. From his spot, Hiccup heard the low rumble of his father suggesting agreement but knowledge that this tradition could not be changed at the moment. Things were good but there was superstition that if the tradition of sacrifice stopped as would Berk's recent good fortune.   
  
Holding up a wrinkled hand, the elder silenced the room without a world as she moved across the table she'd used to add some height. "The gods came to me, as they did my predecessor. They fear we will lose focus and become weak. They have given us much, is one person to them too much to give in exchange?"  
  
A mother started crying. "We are to let our child die for uncertain consequence?" There was a voice of agreement, including an elderly man who was witness to more than six of these lotteries, two of which were followed by struggle.  
  
"And those that fail did not represent our society as pure examples. Our children standing today, you may not be selected to go but you must learn to behave as a gift from the gods. They give us food and water and air, but if we take and do not give they will remove their offerings. Pray to the gods daily, accept these gifts with modesty. Perhaps one day we will not have to meet like this." The Elder took a deep breath. "For the child chosen by the gods today, to serve them; it is an honor to be one with the gods. Your existence is to represent our people, but beyond that you are given the chance to coexist with them."  
  
It was something that Hiccup had heard before: the honor. It was an honor no one really wanted but the one chosen accepted this life without conflict. The one that was chosen, the child ranging from newborn to fifteen summers would leave the village after five years of reeducation to join the gods in their realm.  
  
Silence fell across the village center as a familiar sack was carried into the room. Such an ordinary bag held a power to part the people and Hiccup tucked himself into his father, just as afraid of that bag. Someone's life was going to end in five years.  
  
"Our people will change and the gods will protect us unconditionally. I am proud of the person selected today and know that no matter what happens you will be cherished." The Elder shook the bag containing the names of every child in Berk.   
  
Breaths were caught when her hand reached inside, pulling the scrap of paper with the named sacrifice. Parents grasped their child and Stoick stood in front of Hiccup, to shield those final seconds of who would be chosen.   
  
The Elder turned and started toward Stoick. The leader's breath caught but the Elder walked past him and stopped at the Hofferson family, standing three rows back. She took Astrid's hands, kissing the palms. "You are a worthy child and will make the gods proud."  
  
Vahi, Astrid's mother, cried and dropped to her knees to cling to her daughter's center. Hofferson touched his daughter's shoulder and cried into her blond hair. "I understand." Astrid whispered, tightening her hold on the Elder's hand.  
  
"Dad..." Hiccup whispered, watching.  
  
Stoick breathed. "You are safe."  
  
Hiccup chewed his lip. It still didn't feel right. Astrid was beautiful, she would make the gods very happy indeed, but Berk needed her more. She was their best fighter and would likely be married off very early to a noble man to produce strong little warriors. She had a very bright future. "The gods had to have made a mistake."  
  
" _Quiet_ ," Stoick hissed. "Do not speak ill of the gods when they have given you a future."  
  
"No, dad!" Hiccup pulled away from the man, startling the family behind him. Even the Hofferson Family glanced up from their daughter. "Send me instead, Elder! I will beg the gods to end this! We have learned our lesson and no longer need their gifts! We will strive without handouts!"   
  
"Hiccup!" Stoick grabbed Hiccup's shoulder but was shrugged off.  
  
Pushing through the crowds, the brunet stood in front of the Elder, his back straight. "Don't send Astrid. I'll go."  
  
Hofferson stared up at Hiccup with something akin to respect. "You weren't chosen by the gods, son."  
  
"It doesn't matter who actually goes, does it? It's just a random selection. The gods just want to see someone represent Berk. I'm of the right age, I can do this- just don't send Astrid! Berk needs her!"  
  
His father grabbed at his arm again, but Hiccup pulled his arm again. Back straight, eyes forward. "Send me, Elder. We all know I'm not going to be next chief and I still haven't learned my trade at the smithy."  
  
Vahi looked ready to accept but Astrid stepped away from her parents, hugging Hiccup. "Don't, my parents can have another but your dad...you're all he has left." She whispered in his ear. The wetness of his cheeks did not go unnoticed.  
  
"Please let me do this, Astrid. I know you'll watch my father for me but I don't have a place in this village, not like you." He pecked her cheek before stepping back. "I will go. It is my duty, as the son of Stoick the Vast, to protect my village in any way possible." The last part was said to the crowd with pride. Hiccup turned his attention back to the girl and nodded. Behind his daughter, Hofferson nodded, accepting the proxy.  
  
The Elder lowered her head and took Hiccup's hand. "Very well, my child. Chief." She nodded at Stoick. "Are you ready to go to training?"  
  
"I'd like to say goodbye to family first."  
  
"Of course, my child. You are very brave."  
  
"Thank you, Elder." Hiccup took his father's hand, allowing the man to walk him out of the village center.  
  


* * *

  
  
Hiccup had been trained for just about everything during his relocation time in Berk. He'd been taught to serve humbly while being an advocate for human needs. There were subtle warnings of what might happen the moment he walked through that cave, including death.   
  
And then he met Toothless.  
  
To be perfectly honest, Hiccup didn't have a clear picture of a god until the moment a dragon-like man stared at him in those caves.  _Monster_  was the first thought that had crossed his mind and he voiced that fear. Monsters ate their sacrifices, without an inkling of remorse. This one brushed through his hair back and tried to soothe his worries with a low foreign sound. Hiccup hadn't even realized he'd been crying until the rope tied around him to stop him from changing his mind last second was cut away.  
  
The creature waved him away.  
  
"I can't go; I promised my people I would end this."  
  
The creature - no, the  _god_  - walked away. Hiccup followed close behind, even after the god yelled at him again, flaring his wings threateningly. Taking a deep, steadying breath, the human followed after the giant.  _It might not be what you had expected, but this is the god you promised to serve_.   
  


* * *

  
  
" _Payment, for your work. No labor is free._ " Toothless strange language embraced Hiccup's ear. A knitted sack, probably made with the same fine material as the clothes on his back, was handed over to him. Hoping for some more of the strange sugar-based treats Mother always had with her, Hiccup stared into the bag, only to see gems and other rocks more valuable than three Berks.   
  
He tried to hand them back. "I'm your servant, I can't accept this."   
  
Toothless pushed them back at him, thumb brushing Hiccup's cheekbones. Was he crying? Hiccup didn't care, tossing the bag of gems to the ground. He always spoke better with Toothless through body language. The god was speaking in his low voice and Hiccup realized the sadness in the god's glowing green eyes.  
  
He was being sent away.  
  
" _Stay_!" He grabbed Toothless' arm. " _Hiccup stay! Toothless! Hiccup stay!_ " He couldn't go home. This was all for Astrid, beautiful Astrid. Just married Astrid. His honor as a man was on the line. People had  _respected_  him when he said he would go into the cave for the girl.   
  
The bag was placed back into his hands and Toothless started towards the open cave on Hiccup's world. Fighting the god's hold, Hiccup screamed and cussed until he noticed that Massclaws was also in the cavern. Reaching over, Hiccup grabbed the slightly bigger god, tucking himself behind the man.  
  
Massclaws pushed Hiccup forward. " _Toothless will walk you to your world. Won't you, Toothless?_ " His words were so quiet and reassuring, the same tone Stoick used to have when Hiccup was a little boy, waking in the middle of the night.   
  
"No! Don't make me go! I'm sorry!" Hiccup scratched at the rocky cavern walls, digging his toes into the dirt. The rocks underfoot hardened into ice cold snow, suggesting it hadn't even been that long since he moved into the Realm of Gods." _Stay,_ " He tried again in the gods tongue, unable to meet the god's eye, "Toothless!"  
  
Toothless shook the bag of gems. " _I have to go, Hiccup._ "  
  
" _Toothless_!"  
  
" _I'm going to miss you._ " Toothless pressed the bag into Hiccup's hand and started back towards the cave. Letting the heavy item drop to the ground, Hiccup stood stationary for seconds before following after, but the god was faster. In seconds, Hiccup was plunged into the darkness of the caverns, surrounded by the howling tunnels and soft rumbles of voices from further within.   
  
He couldn't go back, why didn't Toothless understand? This was the gods' wishes: a human sacrifice - to return the services rendered to the humans.  _I have to find Mother._  Mother would talk sense into the other god, she seemed to have an authority that Toothless did not possess.  
  
Around him, the caverns rumbled and Hiccup grasped the wall, moving faster. It was then he realized it was getting warmer and the caverns, further behind him were lit up with fire. Above head, the ceiling of the cave began to crumble around him.  _I'm going to die!_  
  
Picking up pace, Hiccup ran further through the caverns until he saw light. It was not as inflamed as the light behind him, suggesting freedom. Moving towards the softer light, Hiccup covered his eyes as he escaped the cavern, into a small valley within the mountains. Snow under his feet crackled. Was this the human world, or the gods' world? Hiccup pushed forward, further away from the mountain as the roar became louder. The cavern entrance collapsed into nothing and the knob of rock dropped, leaving a pillow of dust around it.  
  
Trapped in the area, Hiccup let the tears fall.  
  
 _I've failed, dad. I'm so sorry._  
  
There was no going back the way he came. Hiccup realized he had to swallow his pride and start moving up the mountain if he intended to return back to Toothless and return to his work, for the god of Berk. If Toothless did not want him, then surely Mother or Clawless would take the human sacrifice. They would know how important it was for Hiccup to serve them.  
  
Reaching for one particularly jagged rock slicked into his hand, another rock bit at his hips. Each second he went higher into the mountains, an additional scratch was added to his already dirty body. Hungry, tired, and cold he almost called it quits until he saw the circling forms of gods above him, bigger than birds and far more welcoming than one.   
  
Tossing his arms in the air, Hiccup shouted. A tall, red one flew in closer, its big wings causing the ground under his feet to shake. Shielding his eye from the dust, Hiccup smiled. He knew that blue formal coat anywhere, he'd seen countless in Toothless' armoire and on the multiple gods roaming the grand castle.   
  
"Thank you for coming," said the human, reaching for his savior's hand. "I need to go back to Mother. Toothless and Massclaws left me here and then the mountain caved in." The red god tugged his hand away, head tilted back. A sharp tooth shined under the settling sun. A sense of unease rose in his belly.   
  
Two other men, one in a similar uniform as the red god, dropped behind their companion. One loosened the rope from his belt loop.  
  
Without a second thought, Hiccup took off down the mountain, using the slope to pick up speed otherwise lost going up. He slipped on a few loose rocks but kept up pace.  _There's nowhere to run, idiot_! His brain was moving a mile a second, telling him what to do. If only he had a weapon, no matter how primitive.  
  
Wing slipped past him. A god moved around him, its large green and blue wing slapping him. Knocked over, Hiccup rolled away. Grasping a rock, Hiccup tossed it at the human-like creature, directly between the eyes. It screamed out, momentarily stunned.  
  
The red God rushed past its comrade, grabbing Hiccup before the boy could run again. Its other companion, a man with two torsos, roughly pushed him into the dirt.  
  
Biting hard, Hiccup growled and hissed while crawling to get away from the rope being wrapped around him. The big red god knocked him in the head. Vision white, Hiccup released his grip, trying to orient himself once more. Above him, the red god finished securing the rope until Hiccup's shoulders were drawn in, arms down his front. His arms were then securely locked with heavy metal shackles. Using his legs, Hiccup slid across the ground but didn't make it far.   
  
It all seemed to move so quickly. The shortest of the three gods wrapped his arms under Hiccup, picking the boy up and they flew over the mountain. Struggling in the god's hold, Hiccup craned his neck, trying to bite the clawed hand digging into the rope around his chest. Clapping onto the creature's wrist, the human struggled under, his legs kicking up.  
  
Above him, the short god made a loud, surprised noise and let go. The Viking gasped as the ground came towards him but the big red creature grabbed him seconds from slamming into the ground. Eyes wide, Hiccup took a deep, scared breath as the gods fought amongst one another. It was finally decided to fly lower, where if Hiccup actually struggled free, he could drop to the ground without threat of death. By the third time he'd been dropped, Hiccup could no longer find the strength to struggle and the sun was starting to rise.  
  
The trio of gods met up with a caravan of wagons near a rocky plateau in the middle of nowhere. Several gods of various sizes and forms stepped around, none of them a reassuring person for the human, nearly asleep on his feet.   
  
Big Red (as Hiccup had taken to calling him when the sun first started peaking from the horizon behind them) roughly tossed the smaller creature into another red god, this one with gleaming yellow eyes and a faint blue chest. A bland sack was exchanged between the two and Hiccup was handed to the new strangers.  
  
Placed in the back of a covered cart, Hiccup finally let sleep take over.  
  
When he came to, it was loud. Thousands of voices surrounded around him but Hiccup remained still. A stranger stepped into the back of the cart, holding a bucket of water, showing the starry night behind him. Greedily accepting an offered drink, Hiccup stared up at the new stranger, the same features as the female usually with Massclaws.   
  
"Please," Hiccup whispered, struggling with the rope around him. "Don't do this. Don't kill me."   
  
The god pulled the pail over, nimble fingers working on the ropes knot. Watching the man, Hiccup evened his breathing as he watched the creature remove the rope around him. Immediately, Hiccup used the heavy bands around his wrist as a weapon. Slamming his joined hands into the creature's head, the Vikings relished the cracking of bone that came. Jumping the creature, Hiccup frisked the unconscious being, coming across a chain with a single key. It unlocked his cuffs, which he carried with him.  
  
It took every ounce of Viking in him to rush out the cart. He didn't know where the gods had taken him or if they were standing outside armed to the tooth. Anything was better than just lying there, waiting for his final moments.   
  
As he expected, there was one god outside the cart, but it hadn't expected him to jump out. Swinging the cuffs, he knocked them into the creature's face, stunning it long enough to rush past.   
  
The shouting after him was ignored as he stormed away from the beach, using the darkness to his advantage. He had to lie low in a drainage unit at one point, watching as the creatures moved through the city after him. Moving through the sewage drain, Hiccup was carried out of the city. Above him, gods flew wild and Hiccup stuck low to the ground, like a rodent hiding from prey.   
  
The mountains had been in the east, where the sun had risen. As far as his sense of direction during the struggle could say, they hadn't changed direction at any point. There had been no bodies of water but he hadn't seen the castle either.   
  
 _They'll be expecting you to either go to the castle or the mountains. Just go south and come back a few days._  
  
Instead, after walking all day and into the late night, he stumbled on a beautiful big house that looked  _just_  like the place Toothless resided.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Oh my," Raincloud whispered, grasping Hiccup's hand as Ripper finished translating everything.   
  
"That is," Clawless frowned, "Quite the tale. A tall, red god? Are you sure that's the word he really meant?"   
  
Ripper nodded. "Eirick used to use the same word often, until he realized we weren't gods. Dreki - that's the word for dragons." Ripper leaned in, repeating the word for Hiccup's benefit. The human straightened. "It's not any better, still god-like in the human sense."  
  
Sitting back, Massclaws rubbed his eyes. "And he literally sacrificed everything to save his people. It'll devastate him to know he left his home for nothing." He smiled at Hiccup, weakly. "Father." He glanced at the king. "I am certain that if Toothless were standing here, he'd agree. Tell Hiccup the other humans are safe, no more sacrifices."  
  
With an unsteady breath, Ripper leaned in and relayed the message. Hiccup's cheeks paled. Looking up at the king and queen, he gave them a questioning look. "You're people are safe now." Clawless swallowed. "We cannot afford to dig for a passage to return Hiccup to his world. I wish to discuss living accommodations with you, Ripper."  
  
"I couldn't sire."  
  
"Yes you could, you're the only one that speaks his language. You kept Eirick safe for years and you can keep Hiccup away from the slave traders. Raincloud will prepare a stead on your property to house Hiccup and I will set an expense account for him."   
  
Ripper glowered, grip tight on his trousers. "I'll do this, but not for you, my king. I can't let your reign hurt another human." He stood up, touching Hiccup's shoulder. " _We're going to go where it's safe._ "  
  
"Toothless..." Hiccup looked at the queen. "Mother?"  
  
The queen touched her husband's hand. Standing up, Maybar reached for Hiccup's hand. "I'll take him to say his goodbye's to Toothless."  
  
"Hun," Massclaws reached for his wife, "He's still drunk."  
  
"And I know Toothless all too well. If he wakes up and Hiccup is gone, he'll tear the walls down looking for imaginary slave traders amongst the ranks and then will blame you for everything under the sun. Let him have a drunken tantrum now. He'll wake up and know it was all for the best. Come with me, Hiccup." Maybar encouraged Hiccup forward. "We're going to see Toothless."  
  
"Toothless bad." Hiccup pouted.  
  
"I know, so we're going to go wake him up." She winked at her husband, who shook his head.   
  
When Hiccup was gone, Massclaws turned back towards his parents and Ripper. "So... a tall, red dragon wearing the house uniform. How many nightmares do we have on staff?"  
  


* * *

  
  
Outside, Hiccup was watching Maybar with more understanding.  _Not gods but dragons_. The realization of the situation was echoing in his mind. His people were wrong, there weren't gods on the other side of the mountain but  _dragons_. Everything he'd ever learned seemed to flash before his eyes. Dragons were a step beneath gods, immortal beings that could destroy the world.   
  
It wasn't hard to believe that every bad thing that had happened to Berk was caused by  _dragons_.  
  
"We've been rewarding our attackers." Hiccup whispered.  
  
Maybar, a few paces ahead of him, stopped and turned with her head tilted to the side. " _Let's go speak with_  Toothless."  
  
Hiccup took a step back. He'd been letting these people uses the services meant only for the gods. And no one had bothered telling him the truth, even the dragons he'd trusted. "I want to go home." Hiccup whispered.  
  
"Hiccup?" Maybar stepped up.  
  
Around the corner, a tall dragon stepped from the gardens. Hiccup's attention turned to the dragon, his breathing stopping. Big Red. " _Lady Maybar? Do you need something?_ " The dragon stopped short of the two. Hiccup took another step back but his hand was grabbed by Maybar, who pulled him forward.  
  
" _We're going to go see Toothless, before Hiccup leaves, Fishhook._ "  
  
" _The human is leaving?_ " The dragon asked, surprise written across his face.  
  
Maybar smiled. " _Not a moment too soon. He's going somewhere safe._ "  
  
" _Where?_ "  
  
Hiccup tugged at Maybar's hand, trying to go back. "Bad! Bad!" The human cried out. Maybar turned to face him. "Bad!" He pointed at Fishhook.  
  
"Hiccup!" Maybar gasped. " _I am so sorry, Fishhook. He's a little strung out. Quiet_  Hiccup!" She tugged at his arm.  
  
Fishhook shook his head, the tug of a smile on his face. " _My lady, why don't I take him up to see the prince? In such a state, you shouldn't be dealing with Toothless._ "  
  
" _I've dealt with him in worse conditions._ " Maybar smiled cheerily. " _Don't worry, I'll watch out for him._ "  
  
Fishhook grumbled. " _My lady, go back to your mate. I will handle the human now._ "  
  
" _He's safe with me, Fishhook!_ " Maybar stumbled back under the weight of Hiccup's pulls. "Hiccup! " She bent to one knee, placing her hands on the human's shoulders. Understanding crossed her face within seconds, her body twisting to look at Fishhook, from head to foot. " _It was you. The traitor of the house._ "  
  
" _Just go back to your mate and forget about this, my lady._ "  
  
Maybar, with Hiccup at hand, ran.


	8. Chapter 8

Maybar prided herself in knowing the palace. As a young girl, she had snuck into the palace on multiple occasions to meet with Massclaws so Toothless would not be jealous of the time spent with the younger prince. The winding passages under the castle led as far out as Crystal City in which retreat from the palace would be possible should it ever need to be done.

It was first built by King Acidbreath during the Species War. The small terror had not created the tunnels with someone like Maybar in mind but it did its magic to keep nightmares like Fishhook out. 

Hand grasped with the tiny human, the princess slipped past a jutted sharp rock, only wincing as its jagged edge sliced into her arm. Part of her brain chimed that she should have stayed in the palace, seeking out Massclaws or Toothless, but she quickly reasoned that Fishhook still had high standard in the royal court. She hadn't even expected him to be part of the slave trade, especially since he had been part of their group when they had been hatchlings.

"Maybar!" Hiccup cried out, brushing against the same edge. He tried to pull back, to stop where the walls were tight, but Maybar pulled him on as if he were one of her two girls, trying to get out of a task. "Maybar! See Toothless!"

"We have to get you to safety first, Hiccup! Between me and Fishhook, Toothless will sooner believe his best friend about these events and you'll be deposited right into that ugly nightmare's hand while I'm sent away to my rooms for attempting to kidnap the human." At least until her husband could sort out the truth. This was terrible; she should have been in the palace relaxing, ensuring the safety of her egg instead of fleeing into the city with the only human left in their lands, away from the slave traders.

The boy, of course, didn't understand her and tried pulling away again. Firm grip still there, Maybar moved through the tight caverns with more purpose. She stopped short of the main wall, a purposely designed blocked passage. "Hiccup." She pulled him towards the soft end of the cavern. "Stay." She placed her hand firmly on the human's chest. "I'm going to check that it's safe." 

Hiccup didn't move as she dropped her hand. 

Exhaling heavily, the young princess pressed on an old stone worn into the stone block. From it, as she had anticipated, the wall slid open enough for her to slip her large body through and into the open wall of a cavern wall deep in the beaches of Crystal City. Above ground, she could hear the gathering of marketers, unaware that just under their feet, hidden off by the rock and tide was a cavern leading deep into the castle. 

It was hard to imagine that, at one point, the caves had led its refugees to nowhere but so long as the channel remained mostly unknown, it wasn't her problem.

Sneaking along the cave walls, she glanced over the slit through the hill, towards the beach. Besides some fisherman boats further out, it was empty in that area. Her toes scrapped along the stubborn rocks as she snuck out of the cave, moving along the foothills around to the merchant quarters. No one paid her any mind; too busy collecting their goods before dusk. Her quick eye caught three guards, none of which she was eager to run to at the moment.

But where to take Hiccup until I can return to the castle?

Her wrist being grabbed stopped her from questioning. Turned, she faced the angry nightmare guard. Fishhook's breathing was labored, suggesting his flight from the castle immediately when she'd gone missing. "Let's not make this any more public than need be, princess." He pulled at her arm, into his body. "Where is the human?"

"Dead." Maybar hissed. "As he needs to be to protect the throne."

Fishhook growled. "Check the escape cavern." He tossed over his back at a nadder wearing the house uniform. 

Biting her tongue, Maybar watched the nadder slip easily into the cavern. What should have been immediate finds became moments and then actual minutes. Breath caught, the princess watched and listened as the nadder slipped back out with an apologetic shake of his head. 

"He's not there, sir."

Fishhook growled, his hold tight on the princess. "Keep checking the caves. My lady, you know you shouldn't be out of the castle so close to the prince's courting announcement." The last bit was said loudly for the onlookers as the guard dragged her through the crowds towards an open carriage that would (if believed) take her to the palace. Slipped into the back canvass, she was met by two nightmares, one in house uniform the other wearing clothes befitting of someone in the northeast. 

"My princess." The commoner bowed his head apologetically, holding two sets of slave ankle chains. With two nadders in front and Fishhook at her flank, Maybar swallowed her pride and fixed her skirts as she settled against harsh wood, ankles extended for the slave traders to hook her up. "You didn't think I wouldn't be aware of the escape caverns, would you, Maybar? An old childhood friend? Next head of the guards?"

"If Toothless learns of this, you'll be next in the gallows." Maybar hissed.

The nightmare shook his gemless head. "Me? Oh no, no, no. I didn't abduct the human. As far as the castle is aware, you - who always hated him - was last to be seen with him and then both of you just... vanished. My hands are clean of all this."

"So you found Hiccup, have you?" Maybar smiled. Fishhook's face curled with a scowl, suggesting they hadn't - yet. "He's a rather slippery, isn't he? I mean, to escape your boys twice? He really knows what he's doing." But she couldn't help to wonder where it was in those caves Hiccup had disappeared to now. She'd only left him for a minute, had he taken that small amount of time to run back towards the castle side, where the pantries successfully hid the door?

The boy was a bit of a glutton, she wouldn't put his past him to be back in the palace sneaking some food on his hike back to Toothless' bedchambers to hide. The boy's head was a complicated mess but it seemed, for once, his fear of the world had worked for their benefit. 

"I didn't lose him," Fishhook grumbled, defensively. "I had already made the sale when he slipped from their possession. I'm simply making a sale on another human." 

Maybar's frown deepened. "Wouldn't your buyer be angry that you're reselling his property?" 

"They should have kept a tighter grasp on him, shouldn't they have?" Fishhook smiled, head tilted back. "But, I don't think they're going to make a lot of noise about this. Hold tight, we'll find him and be out of here by morning."

"You can't sell me." Maybar hissed.

Fishhook smirked. "You? No. However, I understand there's a demand in the market for night fury, and there's only one person in this camp that might be holding one. You're almost finished with your gestation period, aren't you?" He smiled as Maybar shifted back.

 

Hiccup waited as long as it took for Maybar's leg to leave the thin slit in the cavern before taking off in the other direction. The caverns they went through had been a straight shot, a good half an hour's walk, that let out in an abandoned pantry off the kitchens. It had been hidden by a shalf that Maybar easily pushed aside but Hiccup didn't have any question that he could make it through the same door from the opposite side.  
He heard the footsteps following him as he made it to castle opening.

Taking a deep nervous breath, Hiccup pushed on the wall, trying to find the hidden switch that had been on the other wall. Was that Maybar coming for him? Back pressed against the wall, he watched the thin caves nervously as the clicking of boots became louder. 

His hand slipped back, wedging the door open enough to cause him to fall back. As he slid against the ground on the other side, the barrier between the palace and the caverns closing and the pantry slid on its own back into place. Eyes wide, Hiccup slid back until his back pressed against the flat wall, watching the pantry with a mixture of surprise and horror.

They said they weren't gods but that was beyond even Gobber's technique. Basins of constantly warm water, creatures of legend walking on two legs, and able to encourage evil from a body - it was hard to believe they weren't gods as he had always been told. Such magic could only exist in the world of gods.

Oh no, Maybar's in danger! I have to get to Toothless! 

Stumbling to his feet, Hiccup propelled himself towards the main kitchens where the head chef (a short, fat dragon) twisted to face him with a snarl.

"Not again. No. Dinner is at dusk - you can eat when everybody else does!" She pressed her nicely painted claws against his back, pushing him in the direction of the main servant halls. "You're worse than the rats! Out! Out!"

"You have to help! Please, I want to see Toothless!" Hiccup twisted to grab her arm, but she was faster. Arm under his armpit, she just nearly picked him up and carried him out to the hallway. The door to the kitchens was slammed behind her, firmly placing a barrier between them. "Your food stinks!" Hiccup shouted back, mentally retracting the comment because it certainly beat the plain gruel he'd eaten since deciding to represent Berk, five years earlier. 

Tight fisted, he turned heel and darted through the more familiar halls. Each guard he saw either positioned against a wall or walking down a corridor was avoided in favor of a path less traveled. He found himself traveling into places he hadn't known existed, from a wide dome chamber to rooms filled to the brim with books. Arms shaking, Hiccup shifted into another hall as he passed over the antechamber. Facing straight ahead, Hiccup stomped back the way he came, only to stop short as he saw the house uniform coming towards him.

Have to help Maybar, just get past him.

Or...

Hiccup stepped into the middle of the hall, hands cupped behind him to stare at the guard. The guard stared back, blue head tilted to the side.

"Shouldn't you be with the Prince, little one?" The blue dragon stepped closer, arms dropped to his side.

Cheer across his face, Hiccup's proudly held up a vase he'd grabbed only seconds before. "I have a gift for you." 

"What do you have there? The First Reigning Lord's... Antique...Vase..." The guard's jaw dropped. "I, it's very lovely, Little One, but...let's put it back where it belongs..." He stepped closer, his hands up in a pacifying manner. Hiccup's smiles stretched into a snarl as he swung his arm back, precariously holding the vase. As he pulled forward, he released his grip on the vase, tossing it towards the open corridor intersecting the one the guard was walking.

The guard immediately jumped towards the vase, trying to catch it before it hit the ground and Hiccup used that opportunity to run past him, towards the familiar hallways leading to the bedrooms.

The halls leading to Toothless' chambers were strangely empty as Hiccup rushed through them, very much aware of the guard on his trail. 

Toothless was sprawled out on his bed, tail slack between his open legs. Whoever had brought him upstairs after that display downstairs had simply dumped him on the bed, in full uniform. Arm tossed over his head, neck craned back, the dragon snorted in his sleep. 

Climbing on the bed, Hiccup nudged the dragon's shoulder. "Toothless, wake up!" When Toothless didn't budge, he grabbed one of the ear folds on the top of the dark skinned creature's head, pulling on it just as the doors were thrown open and the guard, flanked by two others, stomped in.

"Mmgh..." Toothless swatted at him, twisting onto his side.

"Stupid human, get out of here," Hissed the guard who had caught his elbow. Shrugging him off, Hiccup tugged harder on the ear fold.

Clenching his eyes, Toothless growled. "Leave me alone, Hiccup..."

"Toothless-! Maybar's in danger!"

Toothless groaned, rubbing his hand down his face. "She's a bitch, Hiccup. Don't take offense at anything she says or does." He flicked his wrist absently. "Grounder, please take Hiccup to either my mom or Fishhook. I just need a few more hours before Flaremoth visits."

"Of course, My Prince. Come along, Little One. The guy laced his bulky arms around Hiccup, pulling on the human. Not releasing his hold on Toothless, Hiccup screamed. Toothless cried out as well as his head was tugged as well.

"Fine! I'm up! Let go!" Toothless pulled out of bed on wobbly legs. He rubbed his head again, dislodging Hiccup's hand from his horn. The guard dropped his hold on Hiccup, backing up to give the both space. Straightening his clothes, Hiccup glared at the guard before turning back to the prince to yank on the dragon's arm. "What has him in such a fit?" Toothless crouched up, covering his head.

The guard grumbled. "I don't know, My Prince. He seemed fine in the hall and then he threw one of the First Reigning Lord's vases and took off towards your rooms." He glowered at the human who glowered back.

"Ignore him, we got to help Maybar!" Hiccup climbed off the bed, slipping Toothless' arm under his. With all of his weight in his legs, he tried dragging Toothless to the door but the dragon, even with a hangover, was deadweight. "Those bad men got him, Toothless!" 

Exhaling, the night fury brushed the line of horns on his head. "Okay, okay. Let's go see what has you scared now." He climbed to his feet. "After, I want you to bring him to my mother." He nodded to the guards to follow so he could part ways sooner.

With Toothless now following, Hiccup retraced his steps to the kitchens. The lead cook immediately humbled seeing the prince, patting her apron lovingly. "Well, he didn't tell me he was that hungry."

"No!" Hiccup grabbed the dragon. "Just a little bit farther!" He pulled towards the outer doors, leading into the pantry. It made the cook fluster but Hiccup ignored her for the time being. He would fight his own battle with the cook, another day, but Maybar was all that mattered at the moment. "This way!" He dashed past the delicious looking cake on the counter for the door. Toothless followed after, dragons tailing behind. Even the cook tilted her head in surprise, straddling behind to see what was going on.

At the wall, Hiccup slipped his hand along all the books donning the shelf, trying to find the one Maybar had touched earlier. Toothless grumbled behind him, "Hiccup there's nothing to see-" Hiccup glanced at the dragon, wondering what was being said. Standing on his tip toes - because really, why was everything made for giants in this world - Hiccup grabbed the blue book on top and pulled. It didn't slid out into his hand as the other's hand, leaving a trace of warmth in his hand as the door slid open.

The guard and chef glanced around Toothless. "How long has that been there? Does Captain Fishhook know about this?" The guard bit his bottom mouth fold.

Hiccup pulled Toothless' hand, into the dimly lit caverns. Maybe Maybar had come back and the person following had only been his imagination? "We know of this cavern. The alternate end isn't accessible without a royal seal, so only Fishhook has access to it on the guards. Hiccup," He turned his attention to the brunette, who looked up expectantly, "You cannot play in this tunnel. If you get to the other side, you will be locked out of the castle. Bad place, Hiccup."

"No," Hiccup stomped his foot. "You have to listen to me! Bad...bad..." He rushed to the guard, still trailing behind and pulled on the uniform. "Bad!" 

"What? Sir, I-" The guard flushed.

Toothless held up his hand, the fold of his ear rising. "Quiet." He stared off away from the palace.

"Tooth-" Hiccup started but the dragon's fingers pressed against his lips, effectively silencing him. Biting his bottom lip, Hiccup settled down, staring into the distance as his ears picked up the soft grumbling of the dragon's tongue in the distance. Definitely not Maybar's firmer, motherly voice. 

Raising his hand, Toothless pointed at the chef, then the door. Without further prompt, the chef tore out of the caverns, back to the safety of the kitchens. Nibbling his bottom lip, Hiccup slipped under Toothless' arm, starting towards the voices. Grumbling lowly, Toothless followed and was forced in inhale deeply to slip through tight spots.

"-That's human's made of butter, I swear. We've been through this cave five times, there's no way out except where we came from, where could he be hiding?" 

"Maybe he's a bat? Have you looked up at the ceiling?"

"Ugh, the thought that he's crawling around up there gives me nightmares. I heard when he escaped from the original buyers, he cracked one of the guard's head opened - with his fist."

"Shit, no? Gods, the way the prince babies him, I thought he was made of parchment or something." 

Toothless scowled. Pulling Hiccup behind him, he moved forward, until his back was pressed tight against one of the turns of the cavern. Focused on what was happening, he didn't notice Hiccup slid under him until Hiccup was rushing through the caverns. "Fuck!" Toothless tore after. He slid to a stop, arms wrapping around the human as the voices grew more distant.

"Let's just go tell Fishhook we didn't find 'im. Maybe that bitch is telling the truth and she killed him?"

Hiccup wiggled, trying to get the dragon off of him. "We have to-" He gasped as Toothless' big hand pressed against his mouth, effectively cutting him off. Toothless growled low. The guard lowered his head, shame across his face.

"Sir, I'm sure it's not...Captain Fishhook would never..." 

"Hiccup, do they have Maybar?" Toothless enunciated the names while pointing towards the location of the voices. Finally, he realizes what's going on. Hiccup nodded his head.

"Bad...have...Maybar." Hiccup tried in their language.

Toothless rubbed his head. "We'll get her back." He rubbed Hiccup's scalp. "Grounder..."

Hiccup's eyes widened, realizing immediately the night fury was going to send him away. Grabbing the prince's arm, Hiccup shook his head. "I want to go with you." 

"Grounder, watch my back. Hiccup, stay behind Grounder." Toothless moved forward, still crouched low. Grounder slipped Hiccup behind him, moving a short length away from the prince. Hiccup stood on his tip toes to see over both dragons but came up short as they moved to the end of the tunnel where the wall was still split, leaking in the natural light from the beach. Grounder made a low growling noise, which Toothless growled back but Hiccup was already crawling under them, out the wall.

Two dragons were climbing over the sand dune, backs turned. One was dressed in the same uniform as Toothless and Grounder, his little wings pressed against his back as he moved, his friend towering above but in common garb Hiccup had seen on people visiting the castle. The guard waved onlookers off, talking in low grunts with merchants standing by. Behind him, his knee was grabbed and Hiccup glanced back at the dark dragon, pointing towards the off roads where overgrowth leading towards the northern trails would follow out.

"Stay back. I want to catch the son of a bitch." Toothless grasped Hiccup's hand, pulling the boy off towards the outer skirts of the merchant hold, thumbing his hand over a rock to close the refuge hatch as he went. 

Hiccup stared up at the world around him, plagued with the sudden realization that he'd seen this place before. In fact, he'd been near here when he'd taken off the first time, only to end up in the castle when he'd traveled to the east. Hand firmly being held by Toothless, Hiccup was restricted to follow at a brisk walk, a reasonable distance from the two men.

As the forest grew dense, with no paths so to speak. Hiccup stayed close to Toothless, carefully moving over foreign flora with a critical eye as Toothless led the group on a parallel trek after the strange dragons, using the cover of foliage to conceal them. 

Bare feet curling in the thick plant life, Hiccup held his breath as a cart came into view. Toothless covered his mouth quickly, ducking the group into a bush.

In the center of trees, next to the cart, the tall nightmare, Fishhook, stood in front of Maybar, a snarl across his face. Hiccup tucked himself under Toothless, watching the interaction and wishing he could understand what was being said between the two. Whatever it was, Maybar was looking scared inside the carriage.

She shook her head, voice ringing out, "You have another month until my egg gestation is over."

The nightmare snarled, his hand wrapping around her throat. "Eggs don't need their mother's internal incubation after two months. You, My Lady, are at four months."

"You will never get away selling my young! If Massclaw's finds out-!"

"After it's spread that he had something to do with the human's first disappearance, he won't have any power to save anyone!" 

The princess hissed. "No one would never believe that!"

"The crown prince has put me in charge of the investigation. Any evidence that comes forward is under my thumb, they'll believe whatever I tell them. King Toothless - a wonderful puppet for the thrown, don't you think?" He patted her cheek. "And without a child, last to have been with the human, you're nothing more than a liar - a power hungry bitch." The dragon stepped back when the two patrols from the caverns stepped into the open area. "Where is the human?"

"He wasn't there, sir." The dragon without the uniform dug through his pockets, pulling out a small packaged bundle. "But we did make the trade with the main traders. He'll keep an eye out for anything... not dragon and will return it to us." He slipped the bundle into Fishhook's open hand. 

"Blue cohosh, banned by the late King Bright for its risky side effects in not just inducing labor, but also miscarriage. Very nice." He tightened his grip around the burlap bag. 

Next to him, Toothless swallowed loudly, but didn't move. Hiccup tensed, scared about how far Toothless was going to let the awful dragon go with Lady Maybar. 

Fishhook pinched open the bag, dropping a green leaf with dark blue berries slip freely. "'I regret to inform the royal house that the princess has passed on.'" He made bowed over Maybar, pushing her head back.

Hiccup tore out from under Toothless, towards the group. The folly of his actions was lost until the moment he was grabbed by the two stunned onlookers. Screaming, he kicked at one of their shins while trying to bite the hand on his arm. "Leave her alone! You big - big - big demon!" His ankle clipped the uniformed dragon's horn, shooting a sheering pain up his leg while effectively breaking the appendage.

The creature howled, tossing him forward. Sliding against the dirt and rock, Hiccup groaned as he tried to stand, but the leg he'd used against the dragon slipped out from under him. Crumpled at their feet, Hiccup stared in horror as the uniform dragon from the caves came towards him, clawed hand extended.

Toothless' roar filled the clearing. The dark dragon leaped out from the foliage, onto the uniformed guard. Hiccup swallowed as the teeth he'd seen only in passing flashed out, digging into the attacker's throat. The palace guard that had followed Toothless came out as well, attacking the uniformed one. 

Fishhook released his hold on Maybar, twisting towards the arrivals. "T, Toothless...."

The night fury turned his attention towards his prize guard. Rising from the unmoving victim of his first attack, the prince growled. "Get away from her!"

"Toothless, listen to me! I'm helping you!" Fishhook hissed. "Removing the competition for the throne so the rightful king can rise-!" 

The night fury swung his fist, missing the nightmare's chin by a few centimeters. Whirling back, Fishhook's own punch connected with a sickening crack that knocked Toothless down, if only for a second before retaliating.

Hiccup crawled to the side towards Maybar, who was watching the scene with shock. Bent behind next to her shackles, Hiccup analyzed the irons. "Not safe here..." He whispered to himself. "N, need a thin pick." He moved around the carriage, through the boxes that had been placed strategically to protect the one's navigating the odd contraption. Wedging around one of the heavy crates, Hiccup shifted his shoulders and jerked as the carriage rocked. Above him, one of the crates fell from its perch, breaking along the wooden carriage bed, revealing a crate of fine accessories. Picking at the wood under, Hiccup loosened a sturdy, yet thin, chip of wood before moving back towards Maybar with every intention of attempting to pick the lock, just as his old teacher Gobber had taught him over five years before.

Outside, Toothless shook his head. Mouth bleeding from a tooth that had grazed sensitive gums, he scrutinized his opponent. Fishhook returned the glare before setting the charge forward. His heavier, longer body supplied heavy power, but Toothless' smaller form provided speed. Slipping under the bigger form, Toothless grabbed a wing at the base while his foot blocked the nightmare's ankles, knocking the beast off his feet and into the side of the carriage for the second time.

The nightmare didn't get back up. "Secure him." He ordered the guard he came with. "Maybar! Hiccup!" He climbed into the open bed.

Hiccup glanced up from his work just as the lock clicked free, releasing Maybar from her binds. Gathering to her feet, Maybar swung herself into the night fury's arm, breathing heavily. Arms around his sister-in-law, Toothless smoothed his hands over the back of her head. "...I have you; you're safe. Both of you."


	9. Chapter 9

The low whistle escaped Toothless before he could stop it. Hand on the nearly severed horn of one of the slave traders; he gave a quick glance back at the tiny human who was currently writing in the dirt with a stick. He never would have imagined something so little could have done so much damage. Under his fingers, the dragon hissed, pulling away. He didn't get very far, tied up with his companions in the back of the cart.

Fishhook grunted, leaning forward, his left eye quickly swelling shut. Toothless reeled back, scowling at the man who had been his best friend for as long as he could remember. His father had once joked that Toothless and Fishhook were the same side of a coin, always on the same page about everything. Toothless couldn't think of a better second in all his life he wanted ruling by his side, ensuring word was the law.

That world was shifted, replaced by an obscured future that had him on a weak front. The king who employed slave traders. 

From the woods, the guard that had come with him from the palace stepped out. "I sent word back to the palace to inform them of the capture of the slave traders. If you would like to travel through the tunnels back to the palace, my lord, I can bring the cart back to the palace."

"No." Toothless frowned. It never occurred to him how quickly he could become distrustful, even though this particular guard had shown nothing but loyalty since these events started. "We will travel with the cart back to the palace. Maybar." He placed a comforting hand on his sister-in-law's shoulder, pulling her from distant thoughts. "Can you handle the ride back to the castle?"

"Yes." Maybar nodded, allowing Toothless to lead her to the long bench seat of the cart as the guard gathered up the horses. Further back, Hiccup watched with uncertainty from the outline of the woods, where he'd taken to since securely tying up the slave traders. "Toothless..." Maybar's soft voice broke across the area. Holding his hand up, Toothless started toward the human.

Hiccup didn't startle when the dragon stepped next to him. "I can't thank you enough for saving Maybar." He bent his head to see Hiccup's face better when he tilted his head up. Playfully, he offered a smile. 

It wasn't returned. Odd. 

"I wish so much that we could converse. There is so much I want you to hear right now." He touched Hiccup's chin. The boy pulled away, a glare etched across his face. Swallowing, Toothless stepped back. "What's wrong Hiccup?" 

The boy said something in his tongue, fading off with a low breath of his name. 

"Toothless," Maybar's voice carried over, "Just bring him to the cart and sit with him." Her voice quivered in the end. Toothless frowned but took Hiccup's elbow, leading the human towards the cart. The slave traders were firmly locked together with their shoulders pressed together, forming a bulky triangle against the side of the cart, unable to move far from the iron thoroughbraces. Snarling at them, Toothless settled Hiccup against the bench seat. 

The guard rounded the cart, grabbing the reins with one fierce hand. "Are you sure you want to be back there, my lord?"

Considering the nightmare with an analytic eye, Toothless nodded. "Yes, I wish to have a few words with the traitor prior to the real interrogation." He placed his hands firmly on his knees, readying himself for the rock of the cart as it started moving. Hiccup wasn't nearly as ready, toppling over on his leg before scrambling to his knees to crawl to a safer, sturdier area in the cart. "Maybar," Toothless finally settled, "Hiccup is acting very strange."

"Is he?" Maybar chimed in, voice strange. "I can't see why he wouldn't be. Kidnapped twice in a week, surrounded by excitement with no actual idea what is going on, I thought he was calm and normal - for a human." Grumbling, Toothless bit his tongue from the harsh comment towards his sister-in-law. At least, he reminded himself, the bite was back in her voice, no damage done to Maybar. The fate of the child, however, was still in the air 

Fishhook snorted. "Why don't you tell the prince everything?" His snarled poorly masked. "Tell him about the decision made without his presence."

Toothless' attention broke from the Nightmare to his sister-in-law, watching as she played with her skirt. "Maybar?" He inquired. 

"You should deal with the traitor first, Toothless. Then we'll talk about Hiccup. He's safe isn't he? That's what matters right now." Maybar's tone was sharp, the one she often used with her daughters when tasks were not open for debate. Besides, Toothless realized, this could only be a ploy on Fishhook's part to buy him time, throw blame on family.

He had to ask. "Did Massclaws have anything to do with this plot?" It had been a burning question since Hiccup reappeared, that the traitor had actually been his brother. While the current truth suggested no, that Fishhook was privy to the same information Massclaws had, Toothless still had his doubts. There had always been a part of his brain that linked malice with his down-to-Earth brother. No matter what anyone said before, he always had a paranoid feeling his brother was going to usurp the throne from under the rightful prince. 

From her spot on the bench seat, Maybar made an offended noise, but Fishhook beat her to a comment. "Of course not." 

Toothless' shoulders relaxed as his rage dissipated. "Then why did you do it? The money? You could have asked."

The Nightmare shifted, making a low noise as the high wheels of the cart rattled over a rock. He didn't immediately answer, his eyes focused on the fleeting night sky from the open canopy, thick tongue brushing along his chap mouth. "I want amnesty." He straightened his back, wings shifting around the tight bindings locking them to his chest. Toothless growled.

"You think I would set such a precedent?" He growled. He couldn't let one slave trader go. His platform had always been the freedom of his people, abolishing the slavery system. Politically, his stance was in full support by the people which made him a favorable king, especially as he funded cleanups through the west-side coastal cities where slave traders frequented. "For so little?" He added as a thought occurred to him. How much did Fishhook know? At the same time, would his continued existence be a threat to Hiccup's own?

The cart shifted heavily under, moving along the outskirts of the city towards the long paths leading to the palace. Toothless pressed the pad of his thumb on Hiccup's hand, a short distance from his body. The boy pulled back. "I want answers." He finally answered. "Upon the answers I receive, I will decide whether amnesty is possible. Mind you, depending on the truth, the punishment may also change. At the moment, you're standing on a treason charge which is beheading."

A traitor on Fishhook's right shifted. "And what of the rest of us?" He finally voiced. His friend with a broken horn made a low whining noise, trying to shift his wings. Under his breath, he made a noise that sounded faintly like, "Have children...

"Answers, names. Accurate answers and names, mind you, can change your charges as well. Compliance with the Royal Family in general can make this a very easy trial. You might even get to walk away with your wings intact." Toothless flared his teeth, a hint that he meant business. 

Fishhook exhaled heavily, his shoulders slumping. "The bid for a human came up in the market around the time their existence became mainstream, when you were hiding the latest human in your room. We started keeping an eye on the slave traders for the cause, waiting for them to play their cards - any claims for the existence of humans in their midst. The goal was to follow through with the king's orders and collect the humans, but also place an insurgent in their midst."

His companion with the broken horn hissed low, shifting in his spot. "You bastard."

The comment was ignored. "We were getting the opposite of data back, in the end. Every buyer wanted the elusive human; it became a symbol of wealth. The price for a human was through the roof and there was no sign on one outside those in the castle, the one's dying under the Royal Hand. And then, you walk out of the palace door with a human, another secret by the palace and I saw an opportunity. I put out the notice of a human under my thumb, hoping to get a buyer and a window into the slave traders."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Toothless growled.

Fishhook exhaled heavily. "To protect you, my prince. If I was to be found out like this, I could keep your hand out of it. Slavery is illegal as decreed by the king. As your second in command, I have to stand firmly by your rule, but if we don't stop the traders, then we'll never solve the problem. I had to do this sir, I had to stop the slavers here and now with the human. I grabbed him up when you dropped him off at the mountain, sold him to the highest bidder, making plans to meet for the next auction. I had names, faces, locations."

"You sold out Hiccup." Toothless hissed. "You know how many people come up dead in my kingdom, linked to the slave traders? You put my Hiccup in danger without notifying me of any of this!"

"I knew you'd never allow this, my lord! I wasn't going to leave him in that dangerous situation! I planned to spring in and gather him just as we dismantled this slave trade auction, put him in a safe location in the south. Then, things went bad. According to the buyer, the human slipped out of his shackles and disappeared into the night. Demanded his money back, but all sales were final."

"Where did the money for these sales go?" Toothless whispered, afraid that his temper would flare up.

His old friend shifted. "My life giver grew so sick during this sale. I had the money from the sale and it was so easy to pay for a healer with that dirty money - make good of it. Please, don't punish her for any of this. She doesn't know where the money comes from - believes the royal family has helped our kind again."

"Why didn't you tell us this when Hiccup came back that first night?" Maybar asked, leaning back against the bench seat. "Why threaten us earlier?" Why threaten Maybar? Toothless wanted to ask, still recalling those moments where he'd almost lost his sister-in-law, niece or nephew, and Hiccup. That hadn't been in best friend.

The nightmare dropped his head, eyes clenched shut. "Things... grew out of control. I told you to back off, but you wouldn't listen." Fishhook glared at the bench seat. "I was trying to get back in the market, resale the human and re-enter my insurgency with a new buyer. No one would press charges against me on the market, but Maybar realized what I was doing. I worked too hard to get that door open to have her blow it out of proportion as a slave trader. I needed a scapegoat."

"You threatened her."

"As if you haven't done worse, she's been hounding for the throne, pushing Massclaws to step up and take power that properly belongs in your claws. Two birds, one stone. Get rid of the ill-bound heir and the princess, put her at fault for Hiccup's disappearance and the throne is once more securely under you, my lord." Fishhook glared at the cloth canopy.

"Why didn't you just come clean?" Toothless hissed. "No," he paused. "Who was the original potential buyer?"

Fishhook pierced his lips together. "I want amnesty." He finally said.

"Damn it, Fish!" Toothless climbed to his feet, the floor rocking under him. Grabbing his old friend by his collar, he tugged the nightmare up, straining the bindings. "Who bought Hiccup?"

"You know my demands. I will discuss this further when my safety is secured." He kept his back straight, wings tucked in. Toothless growled, releasing the man to turn his attention to Hiccup, who had been used all this time. Hiccup, scared again when Toothless promised his safety. "It might be to your best interest," Fishhook smirked, "To take my side on this. I know things that could impact you in the near future."

"Toothless..." Maybar hissed. "Don't listen to him. He can't be trusted."

The night fury brought his hand through the ridges on the top of his head, pushing on the rough skin to alleviate his headache. A quick look up at Hiccup and he found his attention brought back to the nightmare. "Tell me everything."

"Amnesty."

"Toothless..."

Weighing everything in his mind, Toothless straightened his back. "Your wings are clipped, removal of service, return of money, crimes never listed."

Fishhook shot back immediately, "Removal of service, crimes never listed, royal family continues to pay for my life giver's medical needs." 

Toothless hissed between clenched teeth. "You must acknowledge your crimes before the immediate court - my father, the King, and his advisers. Upon which, you will be removed from my personal guard. Your life giver's needs will be addressed based off of her needs, as you were my dearest friend. If you speak the truth and she knows nothing of your doings, then her care will be taken under the royal physician. Failure to return the money obtained through underhanded ways will be addressed at a later time. Your crimes, as far as the public knows, will never be listed." The last thing he wanted now was any of this coming back to him. "These are my conditions. If they are unacceptable to you, then upon return to the castle, you will be detained for treason. Hearing will be public, wings clipped, retirement benefits frozen. To repay the slave transaction, you will work in the mines until repayment has been met, however long that may be."

He rested his hands in his lap, shoulders straight. 

"For just my buyer's information?"

"And any information pertaining to the slave holdings you may have. A fine deal, you'd be getting out of dishonoring your family - and race - title." It would be different, the castle, without Fishhook. They'd always been partners in crime, the best of friends joined at the hip. This scandal had a lot of impact on all facets of the prince's life. 

Years of training prepared him for this, but didn't make it all the more surreal. He had to cut off his best friend to protect not only his titles, people, and family, but also a strange human that sparked an unknown desire. 

I should have demanded he apologize and grovel at Hiccup's feet.

"Very well." Fishhook breathed heavily. "I agree to your terms, my prince." 

Maybar made a low noise of disapproval, tightening her form in her seat as the castle's high towers came into view over the horizon. 

"I approached the highest bidder, whose name had circuited the auctions often enough. The title was simply 'The Master,' vague and intimidating all at once. I observed my target for days leading up to the exchange of information - proof that I truly possessed a human. At the time, I couldn't just carry the boy into the slave holdings, so I offered the first break of news from palace about the prince possessing a human - a live, fully functioning human. He gobbled it up, demanded one immediately. He had been fishing through those caverns for months about the rumors of monsters on the other side, paid countless guards in that region but nothing came up." Fishhook took a deep breath. "And then you mentioned having to bring Hiccup into the mountain and I saw opportunity. I could work with this. When you and prince Massclaws left the mountain ridges, I snuck in, fearing that I'd missed the opportunity to grab the human, but there he was inside a valley, trying to crawl out. We grabbed him, wrapped him up and made the exchange within hours. Too easy."

"To who, Fishhook." 

"Merchant Nimble Fang." Fishhook paused. "He runs the most well oiled slave factory in our region. Buys, mates, trains. A sample of human would, hopefully, create a new reign of slaves not covered by current laws. He paid a hefty fee for the human without looking the creature over for defects. We don't even know how they reproduce, the needs of the offspring, or the responsiveness of the slave. I was able to sell Hiccup off due to the work he has done for you, that they were born submissive."

Toothless frowned. "Nimble Fang? Why does that name sound familiar?" He didn't make a habit of remembering the merchants, there were too many of them. Trade was more of Massclaws thing. Toothless prided himself more a political tactician and militant. 

It was Maybar that twisted her neck, a scowl written across her face. "Because that is the Lady Flaremoth's father. Nimble Fang has been an active member of the political circuits among minor party officials. He buys votes often, but everybody does to get a word to the King, your father." 

Toothless found his belly boiled at the thought. Hiccup seemed to notice as well, his chilly attitude melting quickly, replaced with nervousness that had him backing in the corner. Passing sharp green eyes over the boy, Toothless relaxed his features. "And where is his daughter in these enterprises?" Maybar inquired.

Fishhook frowned. "That's... where things get a little tricky. I didn't even make trade with Nimble Fang as I had demanded. It was his daughter, however, that sent word about the disappearance of the human along the shipping. I don't know where she lies in this problem exactly. The second buyer was an anonymous person who paid triple what Nimble Fang had original paid."

"What's your opinion of her?" Toothless asked.

The nightmare frowned, clenching his jaw. "Honestly? If you take anything from me as your friend, I would say beware. Apples don't usually fall far from the tree." 

 

There were things in this situation that made little to no sense to Hiccup. Ever since he was ten, taken in by the elders to be trained to serve the gods, he'd been prepared for the worst. In fact, he'd felt almost spoiled upon meeting these so-called gods who ate at tall tables and had bountiful food. There had never been an irking that something wasn't right. In fact, he had been ecstatic about these gods that fed him, clothed him, and talked with him.

It was better than the warnings he'd been raised with. The gods' realm was supposed to be punishment. Hiccup ate tasteless broth until his majority because he'd been told he was expected to eat scraps in this realm. He'd slept on a straw patch, surrounded by dirt, with the clothes on his back keeping him warm. He'd been taught to cook extravagant meals he wasn't allowed to taste, weaved intricate designs on clothing he wasn't allowed to wear, and watched other kids play, knowing he would never be allowed to express himself that way again. His life was to serve others; he shouldn't expect anything beyond the bare minimum for survival.

He was proof that the humans still needed the gods' help, a lie to hide their prosperity.

Maybe the gods had always known? Instead of taking the sacrifice into their adored arms, they punished them by sending the sacrifice to live among dragons.

Only, Toothless had never seemed bad. In fact, until hours ago, Hiccup thought he'd ended up in the best god's hand. Toothless fed Hiccup fine foods, had patience that no one in Berk ever showed, and made the human want to stay. He had gone out of his way to return to the dragon at first because it was his duty, but now he couldn't help think that he'd grown fond of the dragon's service.

Hah! Fond of the dragon's service, the gods were probably weeping.

But now things were different. The dragons (no longer gods) had shown their true form. Some were constantly grabbing him, tying him up and tossing him around. Others were angry, not to be trifled with. Even those who had housed him seemed different. Even Toothless, who had been unconditional with Hiccup, had proved himself to be as awful as the rest.

That bath last night had been unexpected. A fun swim had become pleasurable as the dragon's hand wrapped around Hiccup, playing with the sensitive skin of his private naughty place. The elders had always told him never to touch there except to pee, warned him that the gods would punish him if they saw that part 'get hard' or 'pulse evil'. Hiccup had done his best to keep even his thoughts clean, to fight away that proof that he was everything the gods hated. In seconds, Toothless pulled that evil out of Hiccup, as if testing if the gift was as pure as the humans promised.

Hiccup had failed. He was a poor example for mankind.

He pulled away when Toothless touched his shoulder, trying to reassure him with a smile. "Don't touch me; I have to make it to the real gods." He glared at the dragon. "I promised my people."

"Little One, I don't understand you."

"I changed my mind, I want to go home."

Toothless tilted his head to the side. "Has Ripper arrived at the castle yet?" He turned around, facing Maybar. Hiccup swallowed heavily as he watched the goings around him. Coming over the horizon the towers of Toothless' home began to appear. Grabbing the cloth canopy, Hiccup stared up at the big house, still enraptured by its structure. We have nothing like that in Berk. How are you not gods? 

A wave of uniforms was coming towards them with a wooden prisoner cart, its open cart for the world to see. Toothless leaned over the bench seat, his voice low before he pulled back. "Hiccup." He held his hand out. "I want you to sit up front with Maybar." He wrapped a strong arm around Hiccup's bicep.

Staring at the dark hand, Hiccup jerked back. "I won't be bad again, Toothless!" 

Toothless' face slackened and his shoulders relaxed. He looked so hurt, Hiccup realized as his own body mimicked the dragons. The need to apologize for his behavior bubbled up, but the night fury was turned away before anything could be said. Exhaling, Hiccup turned away, looking at the fleeting city behind them. 

The prisoner tray met up with them just outside the palace gates. The back dock for the cart was removed and the three slave traders were rounded up, moved to a second cart as Toothless spoke with a short guard who had come up with the other party. 

Hiccup hadn't expected big hands to grab him under the armpits. His first instinct was to scream, kicking his legs back out of fear they were taking him again. Just as quickly, he was settled down on the bench seat of the cart, next to Maybar, who slide over to give him room. "Toothless!" Hiccup shouted as another uniformed dragon settled next to him, grabbing the reins. "Don't let them take me!"

"Sh. Sh." Toothless soothed, reaching across his guard, firm finger pressed against Hiccup's lips. "Safe, Hiccup."

"You promise?" Hiccup whispered back, wrapping his arms around his middle. As if the dragon understood him, the prince nodded with a pleasant smile, talking rabidly with a finger directed towards the other cart. He ran his fingers through Hiccup's hair, claws catching. Reaching up, the human removed the big hand with the smallest of flinch from the pain on his scalp. He swallowed heavily when Toothless pulled away, misreading what had happened. "Toothless..." Hiccup tried standing up, but the dark dragon was already slapping the side of the cart, sending it forward. 

Craning his neck, Hiccup watched Toothless follow with his guards, his voice no longer reaching his ear.

In the castle, the cart was taken around, where Clawless and Mother stood proudly next to their son, Massclaws, and the small dragon who spoke Hiccup's language. Reaching up, Massclaws helped his wife down, inspecting her for damage with a low tone.

"Hiccup." Mother stepped forward, but it was Clawless that helped Hiccup down. Grabbing Mother's hand, Hiccup stood on his toes, trying to spot Toothless, but the prisoner cart had moved to another side of the castle, disappearing behind high columns. "Did he hurt either of you?" She asked, running her claws over the human's chin.

"Rainy, Toothless wanted us all to meet in the Green Room. Commander Ripper, if you would join us - we need you to translate." Maybar hummed softly. 

Mother cupped Hiccup's hand comforting, and Hiccup relaxed. This, he decided, was a dragon he loved very much. She reminded him of his mother before the gods took her from him. "We don't have time for his games. Lady Flaremoth is here for the admonishments."

"It has to deal with her." Maybar chewed on her lip. "And someone still needs to tell Toothless that Hiccup is being sent away. I couldn't find the heart to tell him."

The queen pierced her lips together as her husband took the lead back into the palace. "What is it my son wants to discuss with us before meeting his future princess?"

Tucking her hand with her husband's, Maybar hummed low. "He has one more snake to lure out before the nuptials with Hiccup's help, and he needs our support for this."


	10. Chapter 10

Mother still offered him that same reassuring smile she had since those first moments. He had first compared it to a look a man would give a dangerous animal in the wilds. Now, it seemed almost comforting, a constant in his changing world. Mother had never hurt him in the past, she wouldn't do it now.  
  
Being led into a grand library beyond anything Berk ever had, Hiccup stepped away from the dark female dragon, moving along the shelves with adoration. Dragons were not gods, they served the gods. In a sense, they were animals and animals couldn't read. Animals couldn't maneuver carts or capitalize in animal husbandry either, but that was beside the point. These dragons were different. These dragons were almost human in nature.  
  
His shoulders relaxed as the door shut, leaving him in a room with Mother, King Clawless, and the one smaller dragon that could speak in the human tongue. King Clawless wore the uniform that everyone else wore, from Toothless to bad dragon. Hiccup scrutinized the proud dragon and his familiar smirk.   
  
"What's going on?" He finally asked. He had to repeat his question when he realized it was rushed and whispered. Focusing on the human-tongued dragon, Hiccup shifted his form, caught between submission and mock-authority. His early training to be village leader felt lost within him under his years of training to be a delicate sacrifice.   
  
The yellow-green dragon paused in his conversation with Mother and King Clawless. "That depends."  
  
Storming over to the divan, Hiccup settled across from the human speaker and perpendicular to Mother and King Clawless. "All of it. Where are the gods?"  
  
"It is believed that you were given to us by the gods."   
  
Hiccup frowned. In other words there wasn't any gods in the mountains. This world was strange enough to account for it by referring to the gods' intervention. There had been a mistake on both species misunderstanding. "And the bad dragon?" He meant the red one, who had grabbed him not once, but twice. The very one who had hurt Maybar.   
  
"He will not bother you again. I will not let him, or anyone else, sell you." The dragon straightened his back, directing his focus entirely on the human. Hiccup shifted.  
  
"Toothless won't let anything happen to me." Hiccup stared back. "I don't need any other dragons; just Toothless, Mother, and Maybar." He tilted his head back to consider King Clawless. While the man hadn't been demanding, his face was firm and menacing. These features disappeared when Mother was in the room, but Hiccup knew that the look could come back in a second.   
  
The man reminded him of his father. Stoick was a fierce man before his people. To lead a village, he had to be a firm leader. His cold exterior would melt in the presence of his family. "I see." The dragon murmured. "We will see if you still decide that once Toothless returns."  
  
Hiccup nodded, placing his hands on his knees. He listened closely for the familiar sounds of Toothless' stride. He didn't have to wait long before the dark dragon stepped into the room, a tiny dragon at his side. King Clawless straightened his back, not even standing as the small one did. Toothless scowled at the dragon, a low whisper of, "Ripper." Stunning eyes crept over the room, finally falling on the human still nestled into an armchair.  
  
Settled in front of the chair, Toothless placed both hands at Hiccup's side, leaning in for inspection. His clawed fingers, never rough, brushed over Hiccup's jaw, tilting and considering every scrape, bruise, and dirt swatch left in the wake of the kidnapping. " _You're safe now._ " He promised in his deep, vibrating voice. The words didn't scrape against his ears as they had at one point. Now the dragon language seemed almost a low hum of an insect than a dangerous growl of a beast. Toothless' was more so, it pulled interest in the boy. He wanted to learn this language so he could understand every word that escaped the dragon's lips.  
  
" _Safe now, Toothless._ " Hiccup repeated with trained ease. Toothless' face always seemed to brighten when he tried using the dragon's language. _Such a smart and_  clever _human he was._  The Seer was never impressed with his abilities.  
  
" _Good_." Toothless' body leaned forward, as if he intended to place a kiss on Hiccup's temple. His warm breath wrapped across the boy's temple when he froze, contemplating his actions before pulling away. Sheepish, the dragon stood tall to face Mother. " _I request your ear, King Clawless. There is bad blood in our castle and, perhaps, to be part of the family._ "  
  
Hiccup watched with ruptured interest. Even the dragon who could translate was too busy observing to do so.   
  
" _I understand your concern about the Slavers being within our castle, it is a fair assessment in light of the recent happenings in our lands, however I cannot permit you to put any of my people at risk to bring these people crawling out, Toothless._ " Clawless growled in a non-menacing way. Mother placed a hand on his elbow, whispering low and sweet.  
  
" _Let him speak, Darling._ "  
  
Toothless offered her an appreciative smile before continuing. " _According to Fishhook, he was approached by a man while surveying the market. This person was seeking a particular slave, one that only comes every ten years from the mountains. They've been heard of, but never seen. Our men are good about keeping their stolen persons under tight surveillance._ "  
  
" _Most,_ " Ripper interjected, " _End up accidentally killing the_  human _before a week out. They treat them very much as slaves, however if it gets known they have one, the law would come down upon them. As you have seen with the ones collected, only my Eirick was most healthy, but even that did not save him from an untimely death at the hands of incompetents._ " The last was spoke with a hiss directed at the three dragons in the room.  
  
Hiccup stretched his legs out, bare toes brushing along the cool wooden table between them. Not doing anything was beginning to grate on his nerves again.   
  
" _It is a status symbol amongst these traders to possess a species that no others do. The market value of this particular_  human _is staggering to the millions of gems. There will always be a demand for them, however we have the opportunity to remove the biggest distributor, the one who purchased Hiccup at least once._ "  
  
" _Are we not going to investigate the other time?_ " Mother inquired with a tilt of her head.  
  
Toothless' features darkened. " _And that's the root of the matter. I do not think the original buyers hand wasn't too far off from the second purchase. It was too soon after the first failed attempt to purchase Hiccup for there to be another buyer on the market. In fact, I cannot help but think the one person who witnessed Hiccup's return may have a hand in the most recent attempt to abduct him._ "  
  
" _And you have already collected him._ " The King scowled. " _I fail to see the necessity of this meeting. While I understand Fishhook is your friend - he is like a son to me - he has disobeyed my rule and must be punished for his actions. His careless ways has not only touched this human, but my family. We are right now waiting to hear world from the doctor of Maybar and the baby's condition._ "  
  
" _The problem, Father, is that I fear my would-be betrothed may be a part of this distribution ring. I do not know how, but I find it unlikely for her not to be completely innocent in the recent matters considering her father is the one that initially spent millions to have Hiccup._ "  
  
Mother hissed. Ripper stood and walked past Hiccup's chair, his shaky claws squeezing the boy's shoulders as he went. It was King Clawless who remained quiet and in his seat, watching Toothless with unnerved eyes. " _That is a sharpened accusation. Thrown in the wrong crowds could ruin your reign when you step into power, especially if made hastily at the wrong person. While your mother is not overly fond of Flaremoth, she comes from a powerful family. Although bought, many of my cabinet will blindly support him all the same if requested._ "  
  
" _I'm sure, Father. Just... give me this chance to prove that she is equally a guilty party. If I am wrong, I will beg her forgiveness before the court and you, my King._ " Toothless stiffened his wings.   
  
Hiccup watched the exchange carefully, not sure what they were talking about. Probably him, he realized solemnly. What to do with the human who was more trouble than he's worth.  _There's no way to go home, you missed that opportunity trying to get back to Toothless._  
  
Said dragon turned his attention to Hiccup, dropping back to his knee. His rough fingers took Hiccup's small hand, grasping it carefully. " _I need a favor from you, Hiccup._ "  
  
" _Toothless,_ " Mother started. King Clawless held up a hand, silencing up.  
  
" _Ripper, could you translate for me. I have a specific request._ "  
  
He never felt like a slave. Slaves did not choose to work for others. Hiccup chose this life when he was ten, five years before to save the girl he had a slight crush on.  
  
To know he had a choice whether to comply or just leave the situation was power Hiccup wasn't aware he would ever get to experience again. Toothless maintained eye contact with him as he spoke, discussing the situation from the moment Hiccup had been picked up in the mountains until only minutes ago when they arrived back to the castle. He supplied names and descriptions of each person so Hiccup could understand who they were and of what value they had in this world.  
  
The only thing that didn't make sense, and Hiccup didn't voice it from his embarrassment, was he did not understand yet what Toothless' friends had to do with any of it. What value were Mother, King Clawless, Maybar, and Massclaws? Or even the little girl dragons that sometimes played at Maybar's ankles, scrutinizing Hiccup's every action with some disdain that he breathed the same air they had.   
  
Simply put, Toothless wanted him to do what he had been trained to do for the gods - be attending and subservient. If it had been for Toothless, Hiccup would have heartily agreed. It was one of the few things he felt good for. He never did anything right at the smithy before he became a chosen sacrifice and he certainly wasn't going to be a good leader of Berk. The problem was, Toothless wanted him to serve a girl, a female dragon who had likely arranged the second kidnapping.  
  
Swallowing, Hiccup placed his hands in his lap as Toothless continued, Ripper's voice following seconds later. " _I need you to tend to her every need, make her want you serving her now and forever. She might check you over for deformities, but don't startle away. Allow her to look and be interested. I'm going to have a scribe nestled into the snack cart; he'll be recording everything that is said. Should she attempt to leave with you or have someone else take you during the stay, feel free to scream for me._ "  
  
"You won't let her hurt me?" He asked, his voice shaky.  
  
" _Of course not._ " Toothless, still on his knees and holding Hiccup's hands, smiled. " _She'd have to rip me apart to take you away._ "  
  
Hiccup smiled back. "I'll do it." He said with certainty. "I want to," he reassured Mother when she stood up, appearing ready to fight this decision. "She hurt Maybar." He folded his hands in his lap, decided. "I wish I could understand her, move her along to discuss what she wanted with me - if it was her. Maybe you will teach me your language, Toothless?" He tilted his head to the side with a pleased smile as Ripper translated with apparent unease.  
  
Toothless' cheeks darkened and he dropped his head before pulling away. " _Are you ready?_ " He asked the room. Mother frowned.  
  
" _Toothless, we must talk._ "  
  
" _And we will, Mother, just let me solve this problem first and then you can talk my ear off for the next ten years._ " Toothless brushed her aside. Scrambling out of his seat, Hiccup followed after the tall dragon, finally glad to have something to do.  
  
He was taken to a nice tray cart, piled with a wide selection of cakes and other desserts, tea, and a bitter drink that Toothless favored in the mornings. The tiny dragon, Rockcounter, climbed under the cart where he would be hidden away from prying eyes by a long decorated sheet. Toothless and the creature exchanged a few short words before the dragon focused all of his attention on the human. " _You'll be safe._ " He repeated, eyes downcast. " _I wish I could promise you always, but I can promise this one time._ "  
  
Feeling tense, Hiccup grabbed the dragon's hand. Their skin was so different, he realized for the second time that day.  _No. You realized he was different the minute he wrapped his hand around your dick and made the bad liquid come out._  Hiccup blushed. Bad liquid or not, it still had felt so good those few seconds before he realized what had happened.  _Maybe if you ask, Toothless will do it again._  
  
 _Stop that, naughty Hiccup._  
  
"Hiccup safe w-with," he struggled on the word, " _Toothless. Today, tomorrow, tomorrow-tomorrow._ " He tried.   
  
Toothless' didn't seem reassured, but his flat nose pressed into Hiccup's hair, breathing heavily. His shoulders sagged with heavy wings and for a second, he didn't seem so tall or scary. He looked like a lost child in a confusing world, something Hiccup was very familiar with these days. " _Go._ " The dragon pushed him towards the doors with the cart.   
  
Using his shoulder to prop the door open, Hiccup slid the cart in with only a passing look at Toothless. Inside, the tall red dragon straightened expectantly. Her shoulders slumped upon seeing only him, her attention falling back towards a wall with little more expression than disinterest. "Toothless is going to be late," he said in his own tongue when he realized the dragon hadn't followed him in. He nervously walked closer into the room, ready for anything to come out and grab him. "He said to bring you snacks. These cakes are really delicious."  
  
He was rambling. It was the only thing he could do just short of running to the door and begging someone to stand guard in here.   
  
Busying his hands, he sliced off a portion of the cake, placing it on a fine plate. His hands shook as he handed her the plate, which she took gracefully without word.   
  
Standing quietly for a few seconds, Hiccup shifted nervously. "Some tea! Tea is good." He grabbed the white cup, noting the beautiful floral print along the wide mouth. Pouring the drink, Hiccup offered her the cup. This time her fingers stayed upon his hands for a second longer than necessary.  
  
" _Where is your prince, little human?_ " The soft purr followed.  
  
Hiccup tilted his head to the side, letting his confusion show. "I'm here to serve." He whispered in his own tongue. His eyes canvassed over the cart of treats, not sure what to offer next. If it was Toothless, he would have offered the dragon an additional pillow or a massage. Perhaps would clean up after the dragon, especially since the man seemed to leave messes in his wake. "Can I, um," he shifted nervously, "Um, clean?" He waved around the already polished room.   
  
The female dragon placed her two dishes on the couch. Nervous that they would fall over, Hiccup gathered the items up and placed them on his cart. " _Attentive little creature are you?_ " She hummed. " _Will Toothless be joining us?_ "  
  
"Toothless!" Hiccup smiled, picking up the name in all of the words she spoke. "Toothless is very busy right now; he said I was to make you comfortable."  
  
" _Hn, too busy to see me._ " Flaremoth huffed, sitting back in the chair. " _I told him I was not interested in this stupid mating contract. It ruins everything._ "  
  
Hiccup remained focused on the female, unsure what she wanted. He tried offering her the tea cup again. She carefully took the cup from his hands. Her grasps along his fingers remained as she placed the cup back on the cart. Straightening his back, Hiccup curled his fingers nervously.  
  
Was she checking his nails? Nervously, he glanced at his cuticles. Dirty. Good Viking hands, his father's voice echoed in his head. Though slender and long, they had been dirtied with oil and soot since the days he started working at the smithy with Gobber. After, they had been used to garden and clean, cook and bake, and by the end of the day his fingers bled. Fingers, clean enough to handle food, his nails shared the story of the day. Dirt and blood, a hangnail he would bite off later.   
  
" _My father was so pissed when you slipped out of his fingers. He paid all that money up front for you and you slip from the guards and back into the royal control._ " She hummed. " _The hypocritical royal court._ " She rubbed her fingers over the quickened pulse vein in his wrist. " _Sitting on a goldmine and they're standing by their high moral ground. Dragons should not own dragons. That law says nothing about humans. Lesser humans._ "  
  
Hiccup shifted uncomfortably. "Can I get you something? I think we have a little cake in here that's topped with strawberries and it's really good. The cook only lets me have one though, but Toothless gives me his cake."   
  
Flaremoth did not release her grip on him. Instead, she seemed to pull his arm closer, looking over his arm. She moved her finger up his arm, towards his shoulders and his neck. With an affirmative noise, she released his chin and held him at arm length. He couldn't help but get the feeling he was being checked out like a prized sheep. " _You're their little loophole. The law doesn't protect you and, so long as they don't whip you, no animal rights committee would protect you. You beautiful little animal._ "  
  
"Please let me go." Hiccup whispered, tugging his arm free. "I don't want dragons touching me," he whispered, not looking her in the eye.  
  
She pulled him back, grip firm. " _Perhaps I can place ownership of you in our mating contract. Appropriately, of course. 'The servitude of one human to the service of the crowned princess.'_ " She released him with a sharp brush of her hand down his body. A low hum fell upon her lips as she rubbed her fingers together in thought. " _The chance to teach my father how real business should be done._ "   
  
" _And how is that, Lady Flaremoth?_ " Toothless' voice chimed from the door. Turning, Hiccup rushed to the dragon, hiding behind the taller figure. Arms across his chest, Toothless considered his fiancé.  
  
The female sighed, dropping her hands to her lap. " _The right way; that people cannot - nor should they - be forced into servitude._ "   
  
Toothless made a low, breathy sound as he made his stride across the room, the wide doors shutting behind him and sealing with the smallest of noises. Shifting after, Hiccup stayed by the arm of the chair. " _Hiccup, a drink please._ " He pointed to the tea cart at his elbow. Huffing, Hiccup moved to the cart, grabbing up a knife to cut a piece of cake. " _No. Drink._ " Toothless taped the beautiful pot. Without a word, Hiccup complied with the demand. " _He's a good boy, just a little slow with the language barrier. He makes up that by being more attentive by our needs. Always a few steps ahead - I want cake, but if I let him give it to me now, he'll never learn the language._ "  
  
Flaremoth's long mouth pressed together. " _I... do not understand._ "  
  
" _I'm sure you do._ " Toothless hummed. " _As long as my father rules, we must follow his rule. I must follow his rule at least publicly. Hiccup has been an,_ " He paused,  _"Eye opener. The law does not apply to his kind, although he tries to do so. Hiccup is mine, to do as I please._ "  
  
" _Oh?_ " The female leaned in. Her necklace, a long beautiful emerald, slipped into her tight blouse, between her breasts. Toothless' eyes followed it. Hiccup bit the inside of his lip, not liking what was transpiring in front of him. " _You do not seem the kind of man who would support that particular franchise._ "  
  
" _Neither do you._ " Toothless leaned forward with a pleased curl of the lip. " _I do worry about this mating union and its relation with my servant. I do not want to see him being shipped out to some poorly run farm to work his days, forgotten in the sun until he dies of mistreatment. Hiccup!_ " The boy jumped. " _The lady needs more drink. Drink!_ "  
  
Jumping at the loud noise, Hiccup grasped for the teapot blindly.   
  
" _See,_ " Toothless hummed happily, " _He is such a smart animal._ "  
  
" _That he is,_ " Flaremoth purred. " _Positively delightful. Are all humans like that?_ "  
  
Toothless nodded. " _While Hiccup is the last living one, the ones collected in the beginning were all well trained by their previous owners. Humans are made to be subservient to their betters, instinctively. You can understand then why I'm so protective of him. He's so rare - it's only proper that I should have something of value like him._ "  
  
" _But of course_ ," Flaremoth smiled. " _May I?_ " She nodded toward Hiccup. With the prince's approval, she reached for Hiccup, pulling the boy before her. " _He is very fine, no muscle, but that can be fixed with the appropriate eye._ " She cooed sweetly, embracing the boy. Hiccup glanced over at the dark dragon to her left, begging quietly for some help but Toothless just offered him a sheepish smile. " _Perhaps we can create a business agreement. You need a mate, per your father's rule._ "  
  
The scowl marring Toothless' face was real.   
  
" _As I said during your party, I am not looking for a mate - prince or otherwise. I have business ventures that, er, need a blind political eye. My father and I have very different business approaches. Slavery, as you may know, is a tough subject. In the past, slaves have been built around conquest. Captured prisoners would be sold to the highest bidder and worked until death. Rinse and repeat every battle. These days we have fought less, the real deterioration of our society my father claims. Slaves are becoming a higher commodity in which individuals are sold into. This leaves a constant demand that can never be filled._ "  
  
" _And your solution?_ "  
  
" _We fall in with the law and create. We do not create slaves, we create servants_ " She looked over Hiccup again. " _Children, as you are aware, tend to fall in line with their mother's specie. If we bred him, repeatedly, we can create a new fraction. We bred them with secondary groups. Continual humans in our lands, legally created. You take on the family business. Children of servants_ ," She said this with air quotes, " _Become servants themselves. Legally created servants._ "  
  
Toothless leered. " _That get sold on the market._ "  
  
" _Not in so many words. Under the currents, perhaps a trinket or two is exchanged, but the real price for the time being is political support. I give them legal servants, they give you their devoted support._ " She leaned forward. " _And appropriate deal for a young prince with no support under him._ "  
  
" _And of our children?_ " Toothless sipped his drink. " _As my mate, I will be needing children. Heirs._ "  
  
The lady settled back, releasing her hold on Hiccup. Free, the boy moved far across the room, where neither dragon could grab him. " _Two children, which will be my other return towards you for allowing my business to continue._ "  
  
Setting his cup down, Toothless straightened his back. " _Appropriate, I believe. You are quite the business lady. I am sure you are aware that your father placed a bid on my human the day of my betrothal?_ "  
  
" _Which fell through, my Prince._ "  
  
" _Yes, well... someone else has placed a secondary bid on the human._ "  
  
Flaremoth's chest expanded with pride. " _I would not worry of it. Whomever it was will not attempt again._ "  
  
" _You will not attempt to underhandedly take him from my service?_ "  
  
" _So long as I receive rights to his offspring._ "  
  
Toothless rose. " _That settles that then._ " He met her pleased eyes. " _Rockcounter, did you get all that?_ "  
  
The tiny terror stuck his head out from under the cart. " _Yes, My Lord Prince._ "  
  
" _What is the meaning of this?_ " Flaremoth stood, disgust written across her face.  
  
" _This, my lady, is the end of our agreement._ " The doors opened, two large dragons with twin heads each stood stiffly at the only exit. Hiccup watched all the beasts with fascination. " _You may bring the lady down to the dungeons. I wish for her to be detained separate from her father and Fishhook. When the full story comes out and all warehouses of, and I quote, servants has been apprehended, see me._ " He nodded to the guard.  
  
Flaremoth hissed. " _You-! He speaks lies, I simply went along with my Prince's wishes. He is the one seeking to sell off the human! Have him arrested at once!_ " The guards looked at unease with the thought. " _He is breaking the king's rule!_ " The female screeched, taking a step towards the prince..  
  
When the room had first grown tense, Hiccup had covered his ears, trying to block all the loud noise. The moment he saw threat towards Toothless, he rushed forward with the same rage he had felt when that big red dragon had sought out Maybar and the baby. Standing before Toothless, he stretched his arms out to block, the best glare on his face. "Leave him alone! Go away!  _Bad dragon, bad dragon!_ " He shouted.  
  
Bringing an arm around Hiccup, Toothless pulled the human back. " _I have to agree with the - what's the word you called him? Animal? - you are a very bad dragon._ " The guards did as instructed, the smallest of looks towards the prince.   
  
" _My Lord King will be informed of this entire transaction,_ " The left head of one of the beast chimed, " _As there was conspiring against the thrown brought before this room and the ears within it._ "  
  
" _Of course._ " Toothless breathed. Dropping to his knee, he smiled. " _Hiccup, you're safe now._ "  
  
Hiccup crossed his arms. "You yelled at me, stupid dragon! I don't understand your stupid language."  
  
Wrapping his arms around Hiccup's body, Toothless breathed heavily into his hair. " _I apologize for everything that occurred in this room. I will make you safe from here on out._ "  
  
Exhaling, Hiccup closed his eyes. He didn't know what the beast had said, but he couldn't help but feel reassured and truly safe with the one person, past all the language barriers, that protected him.  
  
Excused from cleaning up the mess left from the encounter, Hiccup followed Toothless back to the sitting room where Mother, King Clawless, and Ripper still sat. Hiccup slipped a hand into Toothless' claw when he noticed that Massclaws had joined the room. Toothless bowed his head towards King Clawless.  
  
" _She was taken into custody. Rockcounter has dictated the entire exchange for the record._ " Toothless bowed his head. " _There will still be slave traders and she did not fully announce that she was the second buyer, however I am sure that if you seize her accounts, there will be a reduction in finance to account for it. She... wanted Hiccup to breed._ "  
  
Mother chuckled, offering Hiccup a seat. Ripper broke the silence with a throaty laugh. " _I would have loved to see her try. Eirick and I tried for... may years and had no egg to show for it. Humans reproduce, but not in any way I have ever heard of. More rules on who needs to carry the baby. Eirick didn't really know, he says that hadn't been part of his training to come to our world_."   
  
Toothless frowned, sitting in the only open seat in the grand room. He didn't appear startled when Hiccup slid out from the spot next to Mother to settle beside him. Wrapping a protective arm around Hiccup, Toothless settled back. " _Now, Mother, what was it you wanted to speak about earlier?_ "  
  
An apprehensive glance was sent toward both Massclaws and Clawless. When no support was offered, she clasped her hands. " _Hiccup will be leaving us today._ "  
  
Sitting up, Toothless canvassed the people for an answer. " _Was there another gate to his world in the mountains?_ "  
  
Clawless patted his wife's shoulder, taking control of the talk. " _No. We just believe that Hiccup is not safe in our care. You have seen already that even the most trusted men have put him and our family at risk for needless gain. We will be sending Hiccup out to stay with Commander Ripper._ "  
  
Toothless' mouth and arm dropped. Hiccup looked between him and the older dragons in the room, trying to figure out what had been going on. The old dragon started speaking, but not in the human tongue. " _I know you have grown fond of the boy, Prince Toothless, but you must think of his safety. Until your guards seized my home, I spent years with Eirick with the world being none the wiser of his existence. The Queen and King have requested I move the human there until he is better acquainted with not only our language but our culture._ "  
  
" _We will compensate you completely, Commander._ " Raincloud added. " _We shall also compensate Hiccup for his troubles. A monthly allowance, fit for a young lord._ "  
  
" _Y, you can't just send him away!_ " Toothless bristled. " _I am fixing my guard. He shall remain in my custody!_ "  
  
King Clawless growled. " _He is not your servant, Toothless. We have used services not ours to receive. Unless you want to spend the next few years digging out the gate to let him back into his world - and resealing it mind you - he has no choice but to remain with us. At this current time, he is safer under the care of someone who speaks his language and has years of experience with his kind._ "  
  
" _You can still visit him, if he so wishes,_ " reasoned Raincloud.  
  
" _This,_ " Toothless hissed, " _Is unjust!_ "  
  
Massclaws, who had sat quietly analyzing the situation, dropped his hands into his lap. " _You're blinded with fear, Brother. He has been robbed from under you twice and you're afraid the third time will come. I understand that. In a week, when Hiccup is snug in a bed to the south, you will realize how right this decision is. As mother said, you can visit him, he can visit us. Right now, he just needs to go into hiding until things calm down and he becomes comfortable with our world._ "  
  
Following each person, Hiccup grasped his pants. "Toothless?"  
  
The dragon's green eyes turned to him. The hardened expression melted to defeat as shoulders slumped. The other four dragons in the room relaxed, but Toothless had already straightened his back. Hiccup's attention fell to the dragon's hand, now grasping desperately at his own. " _You are as bad as those slave traders._ "  
  
Huffing, Raincloud turned to her husband for support. King Clawless growled. " _You're being insolent, child._ "  
  
" _No, I am not. I'm perhaps thinking of the one thing you four haven't had a chance to realize._ " Toothless glared at each of them. " _You're just like those slave traders, you're grabbing Hiccup and moving him. Even I've made bad decisions up to this point. None of us are dealing with this correctly._ "  
  
The tense atmosphere didn't diminish. " _And how,_ " Clawless finally asked, " _Are we making the wrong decision?_ "  
  
" _We haven't given Hiccup the chance to voice his opinions._ " Toothless admonished. " _I forced him to stay hidden. I thought he was too weak to protect himself. I took it upon myself to believe that without my resources he wouldn't be safe. Instead, he single handedly takes down one of my guards protecting family. Now you have taken away his choice on where to live._ " He took a deep breath. " _If Hiccup chose it, I would dig out every rock in the mountain to return him to his people. Give him the chance to choose._ "  
  
Hiccup noted a change in tone almost immediately. Every dragon seemed... embarrassed over something. Still grasping Toothless' hand, Hiccup looked up. "Tell me what's going on."  
  
" _Ripper, translate for me, please._ " The older dragon, with the faintest of smiles, nodded. " _Hiccup, we cannot force you to do anything you do not wish to do. The same goes with where you will live. We have some ideas, but if you have a better one please offer it. Our first is with us, here. The next is with Ripper - your translator. Third, we can find a way back to the human world with you so you may live again with your people. Or anywhere you think you want to live. It is your decision to make._ "  
  
Swallowing as the translated words met his ears, Hiccup glanced around the room. "I, I get to choose?" He asked, no one in particular. There was a round of nods, from Mother and King Clawless, Massclaws and Toothless. "They said I wouldn't have a choice anymore." The seers had told him, years ago, that his last choice was to become a sacrifice. Some days, he regretted that being his last decision.   
  
" _Everybody has a choice,_ " Toothless whispered.  
  
It really didn't feel like a choice. There were only two options that sparked something in Hiccup, the chance to go home and the chance to stay with Toothless. "I like having a choice."  
  
Ripper leaned in. "Do not feel you must do something to make any of us happy. We are happy if you are happy."  
  
And Hiccup was happy when others he served were happy. It was an interesting paradox, he realized as he settled back on the seat with Toothless' hand still in his hold. "I want to stay here," he started. He swallowed heavily, trying to find his words. "I have a purpose, given to me by the gods. I don't know what it is, but something tells me that it's here. I want to find it." A full smile spread across his face as his grip tightened on the dragon's hand. He rocked forward, feeling rather smug as the dragon words bubbled in his chest. " _Hiccup stay with Toothless!_ "  
  
The hug from the dragon was all he needed to know he had made the right decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ending was originally posted Aug 2013. Since it was posted, I stared at it and stared at it, and tried writing an epilogue, but was never happy with HOW IT ENDED.
> 
> This should be known:
> 
> June 2014 - "So Much More" is being rewritten.


	11. Epilogue

This is his Kingdom. It stretched from the Eastern Waters to the Western Deserts, There were dragons of all kinds, living together in harmony under law placed by the Night Fury Family for ten generations. Toothless would be cold and in the ground before anyone took it from him. 

Leaning back against the columns on his balcony, Toothless watched the maidens swoop up towards the clouds, their abilities monitored by the guards on the ground. Instinctively he bristled when a person would fly too close, his claws sharpened as he waited for them to make the wrong move and land upon the marble terrace and expect entry to his private rooms.

"Toothless!" Mother stepped into the rooms with a flare of her dress, a beautiful burgundy today that brought out the pink under her scales. "It is nearly noon and you are just _now_ waking up! I thought by now you would grow up. Your father - the people - expects great things from you." She moved through his wardrobe, pulling out his house uniform. Her golden eyes landed on his bed and the scowl he was so familiar with returned as she stormed towards the satin sheets and pulled the bedding away.

Hiccup curled into himself with the smallest of noises, watching her through long lashes.

"And you! I pay good gold for your lessons, off to classes!" She smacked his bare lump. Hiccup skirted towards the wardrobe, pulling his thin robes over his small form. Toothless watched with interest as the pale bottom disappeared behind the long gown. "Off!" The queen shooed him towards the door. Alone with her son, her fiery gaze turned to the young prince, "Toothless..."

"I can explain, Mother."

"The guards swore he was in his boudoir last night, how in the world did you drag him in here?"

"The less you know, the better?"

Mother relaxed her shoulders with the shake of her head, jewels dancing along her neck. "Very true. Where there's a will, you're there. Now," She slapped her hand over Toothless' uniforms, "Get dressed. We have dignitaries to address."

It quiet quieter around the castle since the scandal that had turned the royal family on its head. Twenty-seven men and women were removed from the court upon discovery of slave holdings, insider trading, and treason. For his own safety, Hookfang had bowed down and named people he'd come in contact with and Flaremoth had fallen just as fast. The charges were grievous, punishment more so. Her wings stretched behind her, she said what they'd wanted to hear.

She intended to breed Hiccup with dragons. She wasn't sure if the human could hold children or would have to use his seed for a dragon egg, but the fetus would be unaddressed by the law. Her father wished to sell the creatures across the world using the human as his prime example. Humans were attentive to a dragons need, always three steps ahead of his master. Originally she intended to take Hiccup the night of the party, marrying the prince had never crossed her mind. When Hiccup had returned to the castle, she had altered her plans slightly. She would request Hiccup as her legal servant and use his semen as necessary.

Toothless' fangs chipped his gum line at the thought. As if he would have ever prized Hiccup to his bride, then or now. Hiccup's was _his_ and the boy was equally possessive. If Massclaws had not stepped in when he had, Toothless would have been tried for murder that night.

"He's safe here," Mother whispered absently as they walked the grand halls of the Palace. "Even Ripper is impressed how much the little human as flourished in our care."

The Colonel had moved back to his little hut into the middle of nowhere when he had taught Hiccup the basics of Dragon Speech. His only request from the Royal Family was the remains of his lover, Erik, who had not deserved to die. His titles were returned to him, but Toothless knew that it wouldn't make up for the loss. 

"Just the other day between him and Massclaws' babies, they were terrorizing the kitchens. And he's so good with hatchlings. I wish we could enter the human lands, I wish to see humans in their natural environment so much."

The explosions of the mountain had fully sealed off the gate to the other world. Toothless and Massclaws had placed a system of checks and balances among the troops in the area. Toothless made certain to randomly check the area as well with little to no warning before arrival, checking the rubble for the lengthy tunnels he had walked at one point.

His father was in the antechamber, looking tired as he watched the designers move his prized room. Maybar was several paces ahead of him, micromanaging the whole program with her littlest child on her hip. She paid Toothless little mind as she moved through the Grand Hall to instruct how the banners would be appropriately placed, "It's a grand occasion, not some cheap program your hatchlings do at school!" 

"You're not with the foreign dignitaries, sir?" Toothless approached his father, taking in his surroundings with awe. 

"They didn't wish to speak with me. It's you they're here to see." The King nodded towards the double doors on the left, his private sitting room when they had visitors. "Massclaws is boring them right now." 

"I should go save them then." Toothless switched parent's elbows, following his father into the small room with three of his kingdom's Lords. He passed smiles and good cheer towards each man, questioning the current state of their lands while praising their prowess in particular fields. They were good names to always have in his pocket when he stepped up to be king. "It's still good," The Prince said after some time, "That you have taken the time to come see us."

"It's a historical day, My Lord." One of the Zipplebacks shook Toothless' hand. "I was there when your brother took his mate and I'll be there when you take yours. There was a time that I would have imagined you a bachelor until death." The double sided compliment was not missed on Toothless.

"Still, I'm very pleased to introduce the Lords of Our Prosperous Kingdom to my betrothed. It has been a busy three years and I would like to think we are finally in a place that we can have this party." He stepped back to welcome his Uncle, the Lord of the Dessert Lands. There was something fierce in his eye.

"And when, boy, shall we meet this girl? I've heard only whispers through the crowds that she's different than what would be expected of our future king." 

King Clawless' laugh was bellowing as he slapped his own brother's shoulder. "Toothless' bride is a beautiful in her own way."

Wine and crackers were served by servants of the courts and Toothless settled to his father's left as Massclaws took the seat to the right. Honors would be given, followed by toasts. There was a moment to give memory to the Lords who had passed. Their uncle wondered when Massclaws would produce a fourth child, noting how far ahead the younger brother was than the older brother. Toothless ignored it with a pleasant smile, something he wouldn't have been able to do three years ago.

He was proud of his little brother - overbearing wife and all.

Faintly he could hear voices outside in the garden, Hiccup's language instructor. The Gronckle was moving through the flowers, talking in a slow fashion as he moved from object to object with Hiccup trailing a step behind him, repeating each objects name as he went. It seemed a boring lesson in Toothless' eyes, but that wasn't saying much when he felt he had taught Hiccup more of his tongue _with_ his tongue.

His brother stomped on his claw under the table.

Grunting, Toothless returned his attention to the delegates.

* * *

"My little boy is getting married." Mother stepped back, checking his formal suit. Toothless checked his sash for the hundredth time before gazing into his reflection. He looked good, enough to get hitched. His pulled his mother close, exhaling heavily. "You couldn't have betrothed a better person."

"I know." Toothless sighed. "I'm just really excited, more than I thought I'd be. Today we're official and..." he trailed off, pulling his tunic down his toned abs with a thought. "It's going to all be different after today."

He was lead through the grand hall. Maybar had overdone herself, bringing in flowers from the garden and bellowing satin cloths to dress the ceilings. Somewhere Toothless heard the chirping of birds, eager to take flight and spread hundreds of scrolls across the lands. He moved up the podium where his father stood overlooking the crowds.

"Are you ready, Son?"

Toothless nodded and waited.

The hum of the crowds dampened as the doors opened and the wedding party marched in. Massclaws stepped forward, offering a single claw to the maiden in vibrant greens, leading the smaller form into the large wounds. Someone inhaled sharply and Toothless waited for the shouting and contempt, but it never came. _I think, deep down, they all knew this would happen._

Hiccup flashed his betrothed the biggest smile, clutching posies closer to his chest. They shouldn't have been in each other's presence this morning, but sometimes Toothless cannot help himself. He strives in the little human's natural scent and Hiccup cannot sleep alone without nightmares. It's a pairing he never anticipated. 

Instead of hard shelling there is pink flesh. Almond eyes are oval with pupils that are small. Instead of a thick tongue, there's a dainty slither that peeks between flat teeth. In bed there's no rush of clothes or need to dominate. Hiccup gives and Toothless can take. They can explore their bodies and be happy with the other. 

And best of all, Toothless is one of a few that has ever tasted the salty stretch of human.

Hiccup's understanding of dragon customs is still rough. He is able to read his lines verbatim, but Toothless knows that the words are not connecting in that head. All the human knows is that after this, he belongs to his Toothless. They have worked on making customs that Hiccup is familiar with such as bringing forward a sword and tying a ribbon around their hands. Toothless fully intends to carry the human over the threshold to ward off what the little human dubbed _demons_. They'll dance and make merry before the crowd and as the moon rises over the horizon, Toothless intends to take his betrothed to their mating bed.

"-Under the eyes of my ancestors, the Lords that Govern Us all, I take my mate. I swear to love and cherish through birth, sickness, old age and death, to hold until the very marrow is burned from under my skin." Toothless smiled down at the human as his father drops the silk ribbon over the prince's head. He's no longer a boy, but a man. He cannot afford to make careless mistake anymore.

Hiccup's oath is not nearly as difficult as his. The boy stumbled over his vowels and glottal noises, his tongue rolls at the worst of moments and the audience has a laugh as _Mate_ becomes _Idiot_ , but he picks up once more where he left off, unabated, "Hiccup promise to have, hold, love, um," he waits for Massclaws to whisper a prompt in his ear, "And cherish. Hiccup will give king many children, egg will grow and will break and um," he stumbled again and Toothless can't fight his own chuckle that followed as Hiccup's thick accent works around the Dragon Tongue. His pronunciation is atrocious and his body language is lacking, but there's nothing sweeter than the human right now.

 _Such a bright little one,_ Toothless caressed the smaller hand.

King Clawless breaks the ceremony for a minute to address the crowd about the uniqueness of this ceremony. People do not need to be told twice, they can see the very alien creature that their leader is in love with, but in that party there doesn't appear to be any overt disgust. Spies are amongst the attendees, listening in for anything worthwhile.

Even though the Royal Family knows that it's not true, Hiccup is referred to as a Gift from the Gods. No one needed to know that both species were confused about who were the Gods at first. Right now, Toothless has to agree: Hiccup is quite the gift.

Hiccup kisses the hilt of the blade, saying in his native tongue, "I will give you boys."

Toothless has three nieces. The Royal Family could use a male heir, but he's not holding his breath anytime soon. Right now he just wants to enjoy his time with his lover. In the end, he also kisses the hilt in effort to receive Hiccup's gift. It makes the boy beam.

"-To the Court I present, Crowned Prince Toothless and his Royal Consort, Hiccup."

The crowd cheered.

* * *

It takes forever for Toothless to escape the party with his spoils. Hiccup's cheeks are pink from the wine he's drank and he looks ready to sleep, but there will be time for that later. "Mother intervened this morning," Toothless joked as he pressed the human into the bed.

Hiccup blushed. "Maybar say should not touch before married."

"Maybar should have heeded her own advice." Toothless danced his tongue up the expansion of neck. No matter how often this happens he still can't get enough.

The first year, months after the Flaremoth Fiasco, Hiccup appeared in his chambers and dropped his robe in confusion. At the time, his language was rockier than ever, but Toothless understood the gist of it all: the boy had an erection and Toothless had fixed it before. 

It still shook him to the core to learn that such play had been frowned upon for the human. Ripper had explained that the only thing stopping the Human Seers from castrated their sacrifice was the knowledge that the Gods may desire physical pleasure. Hiccup was not taught to expect anything in return. Orgasms were banned and when he spilt his seed during his training, he was punished.

Their first time had been six months before. Hiccup had shyly asked the dragon to touch him between his legs (a place where the prince had placed his tongue only once before). It had been careful and sweet with Hiccup only lasting seconds and Toothless being forced to spill on the boy's belly. Over the weeks, they had worked on Hiccup's endurance.

Leaning forward, Toothless relished the feel of supple flesh against his own cock. Hiccup mewed and shook against him. "Hiccup, look at me," He rubbed the boy's cheek.

Green eyes flashed toward him. 

"I am to have your children."

Hiccup's brow furrowed. "Hiccup not get pregnant when Toothless do this." He reached his hand down, wrapping it around Toothless' thick length. The dragon growled into his chest. "Maybar say that sex brings eggs. Will you put egg in?"

Toothless groaned at the thought. The boy had been so innocent six months ago. He was going to have to have a word with his sister-in-law later. "Ripper told me that you won't have an egg. He and Erik didn't and no one else with a human ever mentioned the human bringing an egg forward." He rubbed Hiccup's hip. The image of Hiccup's belly swollen during incubation was a beautiful thought, however. "I wish for you to try putting an egg in me." He brought his hand down to join the human's, rubbing both their cock's to full stiffness.

The brunette inhaled sharply, confusion written across his face. "Do what Toothless does?"

Toothless nodded.

He's careful in shifting onto his back, folding his wings behind him. It's not the most comfortable position for any dragon and Toothless was never one to lay back and let any partner press into the space between his buttocks. During his courtship ball he even dismissed several potential mates because they had expected him to birth the children. It wasn't his style.

But Hiccup changed all that. He has obligations to the throne, of course, but he also wants to see another generation of dragons. He's curious if it'll be a new subspecies or if it'll be human-like. Usually the dragon baby looks like the mother, hence why all of his nieces were Nadders instead of Night Furies. Will they have Hiccup's expressive green eyes or his soft fur? Will the baby grow to be tall like Toothless or short like Hiccup?

He winces as Hiccup presses against his opening. He's a dragon, so he produces lubrication even there, but it's nothing something he's familiar with.

"Hiccup loves you."

The dragon smiles, even through the pain, "Toothless loves his Hiccup."

"Toothless make fun of Hiccup," The human pouted, nudging his hips forward. His features shift into pleasure and every muscle locks, but he doesn't move any further. He's not long like a dragon, which makes this all the more bearable. Toothless moved his hands to the boy's hip, holding the boy into position. "Speak human - Toothless speak awful."

"I'd learn human for you," But Toothless is horrific at language. He has picked up a few phrases the boy says, but it's nothing to boast about. Hiccup's grasp of the dragon tongue is a gift. "Ngh, hold still, Hiccup."

"Feel good."

He is careful about where his claws go. "I bet." He spreads his thighs apart, hiking his leg onto the bed. After this, he's going to make Hiccup feel _really_ good. After some time he allows Hiccup to move forward, pressing his hips in until the boy's hanging testes (which are strange and sexy at the same time) press along the line of Toothless' limp tail. It's all the encouragement that Hiccup needs before he's moving out and in, picking up pace until the bed is shifting and the dragon is actually moaning.

Deep down Toothless can feel the burn in his gut as his body attempts to build an egg. He's not sure if it'll work, but he puts his hopes into a shell that's not rotten in six weeks. Hiccup's sweating and gasping, pivoting forward with a mission. Clawless fingers dig into Toothless' hip as the boy wedges himself closer with an uneven pace and Toothless almost misses it when the boy throws his head back and weakly gasps out an orgasm.

It's as uncomfortable as he ever imagined, being filled with semen, but Toothless can feel the shift in his abdomen. An egg is in the works and it's all a waiting game after this. He'll probably let Hiccup try again later, but right now he's feeling greedy. Rolled on top of Hiccup, Toothless nipped his way up the human's jaw until his own flagging erection presses against the dip between white globes where pink skin seems to wink in greeting.

"Thank you." Toothless presses in, forcing his mouth on the little human's to swallow the shriek that always escaped the boy when they have intercourse. At first he had thought it was painful for the boy, but Hiccup shrieked and cried out at everything. _He's so sensitive._

Toothless raised long legs on to his hips, watching the soft pink cock twitch in interest. 

"Put a baby in Hiccup now?"

"Sweetheart," Toothless smiled, "I'm going to try until one day we'll succeed."

It's a perfect story to tell their egg months later. Hiccup the Slave sent to serve, and Toothless the Prince to conceited to love. "You're my love," He whispered into the pink ear as Hiccup moaned and withered around his cock, "My soul, my mate. You are my gift from the gods."


End file.
